MassKara street dance open category with int’l entries eyed

MASSKARA FESTIVAL (INQUIRER PHOTO)

BACOLOD CITY — Local officials in this city are planning to create a MassKara Festival street dance competition open category that will allow entries from other cities and foreign countries.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Tuesday, Oct. 29,  said this would be on top of the barangay street dance and arena competition.

“It is hoped that an open category would draw more tourists from other parts of the country and the world to the MassKara Festival. It would also elevate the international status of the MassKara Festival,” he said.

Benitez described this year’s 45th MassKara Festival as a success. It drew record crowds to its venues and billions of pesos into the local economy.

He believed the local revenues surpassed last year’s Department of Tourism figure of P3 billion, but computations are still being made.

MassKara Festival food kiosks will remain open at the Bacolod Public Plaza, The Upper East, and the Bacolod City Government Center grounds until Oct. 31.

ALL TO OURSELVES Residents of Bacolod City enjoy their first car-free Sunday on Oct. 20 along Lacson Street. Mask-wearing dancers join the crowd as the city celebrates MassKara Festival, which will culminate on Oct. 27. —BACOLOD CITY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

READ: Bacolod mayor extends MassKara Festival

The mayor said the P2.5 million he donated would enable the distribution of 12,500 food vouchers at P200 each for residents and security personnel assigned at the food kiosks.

About 70 to 80 percent of the food vouchers will be consumable at the food kiosks at the Bacolod Public Plaza to make up for their losses during the Severe Tropical Storm Kristine rains last week.

Benitez said the vouchers were being distributed by the city councilors and some personnel at the mayor’s office.

The kiosk owners will then claim payment for the vouchers from the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation.

The vouchers have QR codes so they cannot be faked.

Electric MassKara float

Colonel Joeresty Coronica, Bacolod police director, reiterated that the MassKara Festival, which began on Oct. 11, has been generally peaceful, with no major crimes recorded.

READ: Bacolod’s Granada puts on ‘spectacular show,’ wins 2nd MassKara grand slam