By CESAR JOLITO III What started as a response to a crisis 46 years ago has now grown into one of the country’s grandest and most colorful festivals. The MassKara Festival, often dubbed the Festival of Smiles, has become the pride of Bacolod City, showcasing resilience, creativity and unyielding optimism. The first MassKara Festival was …
MassKara Festival 2025
Jojo Vito Gallery shines as a hub of creativity and culture
By CESAR JOLITO III As Bacolod City celebrates MassKara Festival 2025, one of the cultural highlights drawing both local and international attention is the Jojo Vito Gallery, home of the world-renowned masks of smiles. Known as the “Mask Capital of the Philippines,” Bacolod takes pride in its iconic festival masks, and for nearly two decades, …
Sophia Kaye Zaragoza: The power of a second chance
By CESAR JOLITO III For 19-year-old tourism management student Sophia Kaye Zaragoza, it was more than just a crown — it was a dream fulfilled, a comeback story and a testament to the resilience of a Bacoleña heart. Sophia from the University of St. La Salle (USLS) was crowned Miss Bacolod MassKara 2025, besting 14 …
The queen who heard with her heart
Every October, Bacolod City comes alive with music, colors and endless smiles. Yet beyond the parades and the drumbeats lies a quieter story — one that continues to outshine even the brightest lights of the MassKara Festival. It is the story of a young girl who dared to dream beyond silence. Her name is Ma. …
Ely Santiago: The artist who gave Bacolod its smile
By CESAR JOLITO III Forty-six years ago, as Bacolod City faced one of its darkest chapters, a group of artists and cultural workers came together to imagine a festival of hope. Among them was Ely Santiago — painter, caricaturist and satirist — who not only coined the word MassKara but also designed its first logo, …