Category Archives: Gallery

Bacolod notes increase in hotel room bookings for MassKara

More hotels are getting booked in time for the world-renowned MassKara Festival next month, a government press release said.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that as early as three months before the October event, hotel rooms in the city were getting booked by local and foreign tourists who want to witness the MassKara Festival that he called the “crown jewel” of Bacolod’s tourism industry.

Hotel rooms have increased from 1,612 rooms in 2004 to 3,678 this year, the press release said.

“Robinsons Land is also building a hotel and is even adding an additional floor from its original plan. This tells us, therefore, that the tourism industry is growing and continues to grow,” Leonardia said.

Flights have also increased from four flights 10 years ago to 17 flights now going in and going out of Manila and Cebu.

“An increase in flights indicates that there is vibrancy in the economy and the industry continues to grow,” Leonardia added.

With the expected overflow of people during the festival on October 1-19, Leonardia urged the local police to prepare for the security and safety aspects of the revelers, the press release said.*Visayan Daily Star/September 27, 2011

Read More

City SP approves P7.2M for MassKara, other needs

An ordinance appropriating P7,204,813.16 to be taken from the underestimated Internal Revenue Allotment of the city for August and September 2011, requested by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia in preparation for the MassKara Festival celebration, was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday.

The amount includes donations to the barangay MassKara dance parade of P2.1 million for 15 barangays; P750,000 for the barangay electric MassKara; P200,000 for the employees day, 20 percent development fund, 5 percent calamity fund, general services, representation expenses, and other maintenance and operating expense.

Meanwhile, a resolution urging the Silver MassKara Foundation Organization, the Department of Public Services and the Bacolod City Clean and Green Task Force under the Mayor’s Office to ensure the maintenance of cleanliness and sanitation and upkeep of plants, trees, gardens and facilities at the Bacolod City Public Plaza during the celebration of the MassKara Festival on October 1-19, 2011 authored by Councilor Sonya Verdeflor, was approved by the SP Wednesday.

The SP also passed on third and final reading an ordinance regulating the possession or use of headgear, bonnet or ski mask, as well as another one prohibiting all store owners from putting-up signs “for the exclusive use” or “reserve parking only” and other obstacles in front of their stores and business establishment as the space is for public use.*CGS

Read More

MassKara dance showdown launched

The first MassKara Barkada Dance Showdown, which hopes to highlight another breed of MassKara dancers, was launched Monday (Sept. 12) by the Silver MassKara Festival Organization in partnership with GMA TV.

Festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit said, “Parallel to the street dance, we will have a dance showdown where participants do not necessary have to use elaborate costumes and masks,” he said.

The competition is open to all participants of any age and from any area in the province, he added.

The first round of the competition will be part of the opening rites for the 2011 festival on Oct. 1 at the Bacolod Public Plaza, after the switch-on of the bandstand lights. The competitions will be the culminating activity on Oct. 19.

Tajanlangit said they are exploring the possibilities of creating another breed of MassKara dancers because they want it to become a reality during the MassKara so everybody can dance.

He said they want the MassKara to be accessible to everybody. It does not have to be necessarily expensive or elaborate but it can be simple, accessible to more people and will reflect the dynamism of the festival.

Tajanlangit emphasized, however, that the traditional streetdance competitions where contingents try to outdo each other in the costumes and masks departments remains the highlight of the festival on Oct. 15 and 16, with the schools and barangay categories.

Rudy Reveche, streetdance committee chair, said the 20 participating groups will be trimmed down to only 10 for the finals at the Bacolod public plaza.

“We will have a broad spectrum of dance form like ballet, jazz, tribal, contemporary, folkdance and there will be no age limit.

Tajanlangit recalled that in 2004 they started to engage people to dance in the streets and since then, “We tried to continue reconstructing the MassKara Festival to make the activities as easy for our people to participate in.”

In 2004, they started the idea of street parties and opening Lacson Street as sidewalk cafes because they wanted the people to have fun and participate in the festival, he said.

“This dance showdown is part of the process and this is a ground breaking,” he added.

The dance showdown is envisioned to become another major activity of the MassKara Festival, he said.

Also present at the launching were Councilor Homer Bais, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism and honorary co-chairman of the MassKara Festival, GMA assistant program regional manager Dado Tan, and GMA TV 13 events and promotions specialist Rutha Rojo.

Prizes are P15,000 for the champion, P10,000—first runner-up, P7,000—second runner-up, and P3,000 each for seven non-winning groups, Tan said.

Entry forms are available at the GMA Office, 3rd Floor Security Bank Building, Rizal-Locsin Sts., Bacolod City. For inquiries, call (034)-4346254 or 434-6528.*By Chrysee G. Samillano/ The Visayan Daily Star/ September 13, 2011

Also present were Councilor Homer Bais, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism; GMA assistant program regional manager Dado Tan, and GMA TV 13 events and promotions specialist Rutha Rojo.*By Chrysee G. Samillano/ The Visayan Daily Star/ September 13, 2011

Read More

MassKara Jobs Fair slated Oct.

The Public Employment Service Office in Bacolod City will hold its MassKara Jobs Fair Oct. 2 and project exhibit Sept. 19 to Oct. 19 at SM City Mall in Bacolod City, Moises de la Cruz, PESO manager and Executive Assistant to the Mayor said Monday.

De la Cruz said local establishments and overseas agencies will join the jobs fair. Local jobs like those for call center agents and security guards and overseas employment openings like service crews, medical professionals, and skilled workers will be posted during the jobs fair.

PESO will also showcase its accomplishments, projects, and special recruitment activities in its exhibit. De la Cruz said they will provide labor market information, in demand jobs, and other projects like the Special Program for the Employment of Students, Kabataan Program, and Workers Hiring for Infrastructure Projects.

He also said that strengthening of the career orientation among high school graduating students is one of their priorities to avoid job mismatch between labor supply and demand.

De la Cruz added that students should take up courses which will have greater demand in the future.

The market labor information will also provide the job trends in the next few years. Students should know what courses will give them jobs by the time they graduate from college, he added.

Dela Cruz said PESO has facilitated in-house trainings for immediate employment abroad like carpentry, food and beverage, housekeeping, hotel and restaurant basic services.*By Lisa T. Gapac/ Visayan Dailly Star / September 13, 2011

Read More

Another breed of MassKara dancers eyed

Another breed of dancers is expected to be highlighted in the MassKara Festival with the launching of a dance showdown that is accessible to more people and will reflect the dynamism of the festival.

Festival director Eli F.J. Tajanlangit said the dance showdown, in partnership with GMA TV, is open to all participants of any age and without the necessary use of elaborate costumes and masks.

“In the past years, our concept of the MassKara dancer is one wearing elaborate costumes and masks, dancing in the streets,” he said.

“This year, anybody can dance anytime, anywhere in the festival using low-tech, low-cost costumes and masks,” he said.

We would like to show that by way of this contest, he said.

Tajanlangit emphasized, however, that the traditional streetdance competitions where contingents try to outdo each other in the costumes and masks departments remains the highlight of the festival on Oct. 15 and 16, with the schools and barangay categories.

The dance showdown is envisioned to become another major activity of the MassKara Festival, he said.

The first round of the competition will be part of the opening rites for the 2011 festival on Oct. 1 at the Bacolod Public Plaza, after the switch-on of the bandstand lights. The competitions will be the culminating activity on Oct. 19.

Tajanlangit joined Councilor Homer Bais, honorary co-chairman of the MassKara Festival, streetdance committee chairperson Rudy Reveche, Dado Tan, assistant program manager of GMA for Regional TV, and Rutha Rojo, events and promo specialist of GMA TV-13 Bacolod, at today’s (Monday) launching of the contest at Business Inn in Bacolod.

The contest is open to all participants of any age, who shall form a group of eight to 12 dancers. Any dance form and canned music is allowed, as long as the dancers use masks during their performance. Face-painting and character make-up are allowed.

Reveche said the orientation for participants is on Sept. 18 at the ABC Hall, screening on Sept. 24 at the BAYS Center, elimination round for 20 participants on Oct. 1 at the public plaza, and final round for 10 groups on Oct. 19 at the public plaza.

Prizes are P15,000 for the champion, P10,000—first runner-up, P7,000—second runner-up, and P3,000 each for seven non-winning groups, Tan said.

Entry forms are available at the GMA Office, 3rd Floor Security Bank Building, Rizal-Locsin Sts., Bacolod City. For inquiries, call (034)-4346254 or 434-6528.*

Read More

Countdown to 32nd MassKara Festival starts

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —Mayor Evelio Leonardia led city officials, sponsors, and festival organizers in the switch-on ceremonies of the Billboard of Lights at the public plaza Friday night (Sept. 2) to officially launch the countdown to the 32nd MassKara Festival from October 1 to 19.

Leonardia said this year’s festival, with the theme, “Celebrating the New Icons of Bacolod”, will be livelier because of more improvements and innovations.

For one, the streetdancing barangay competition on October 16 will have, for the first time in 32 years, live music using drums, percussions, and various parade instruments, he said.

Gerry Grey, music committee chairman of the MassKara Festival, said the “contagious” live music from large groups of drumbeaters and dancers “will transform Bacolod into the Philippine version of tropical mardi gras.”

This year’s MassKara celebration will also be a festival of lights, with various light shows in the public plaza and the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit said.

On October 1, the plaza bandstand will be illuminated with light shows, while on October 9, Charlie Co and his fellow artists will set up floating artwork at the fountain area of the BCGC, he said.

There will also be a mask-lantern contest for inmates of 18 jail districts in Negros Occidental, he said, adding that the giant mask-lanterns will be hung around the plaza as another attraction starting October 1.

Tajanlangit said the new attractions in the plaza are aimed at repositioning it and bringing back the focus to it as the “heart of the festival.”

These are expected to attract more foreign and local tourists to these areas since tourists and visitors can go there every night and have their pictures taken, he said.

Every night the people will see light shows especially at the Bacolod plaza, he added.

Leonardia added the MassKara this year will focus solely on the festival since the city’s Charter Day, which was usually held Oct. 19, had been celebrated last June 18 already.

He explained that the change of schedule was decided upon after documents from the archives of the House of Representatives and those sent by the National Historical Commission showed that the birthday of Bacolod was actually June 18, 1938 and not October 19 as it had been observed before.

The theme, meanwhile, focuses on the new landmarks, structures, institutions, and even personalities that have dramatically transformed Bacolod in recent years, Tajanlangit said.

Festival highlights include Majica MassKara which opens October 7, Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary October 9, Electric MassKara October 14-15, streetdancing competitions October 15-16, MassKara Queen October 17, and Salute to Bacolod (Reception for Balik Bacolod Program) October 18. *by Danny Dangcalan

Source: www.philstar.com

Read More

Watch out for ‘new MassKara Festival’ – mayor

BACOLOD  CITY –  Leading the launch of the 32nd MassKara Festival last Friday night, Bacolod  City  Mayor Evelio Leonardia promised a “new MassKara” this coming October.

“For the very  first time, we’re going to have live music. This is going to be an interesting

MassKara because this is something new,” he said.

Leonardia was joined by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit, city councilors, and representatives of  major sponsors in switching on the Billboard of Lights at the Bacolod public plaza to start the  countdown to this year’s festival themed “Celebrating the New Icons of Bacolod.”

The Billboard of Lights is a new feature of the festival.

“The MassKara has always been a process of evolution, innovation, and changes,” the mayor said.

Tajanlangit  said  they  are  featuring   the  Billboard of  Lights  because “this is now the trend worldwide.”

“We want  to  bring  this  festival  to  a  world-class status,” he said, adding that festival organizers are always thinking what MassKara can offer to attract tourists.

“It’s all systems go. We’re all excited. I hope the people are excited also. We’re going to outdo ourselves this year,” he said.

Tajanlangit said the Billboard of Lights is one of the three MassKara installations  that will be   put up this year in the plaza and in the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).

On October 1, the plaza bandstand will be illuminated with light shows, while on October 9, Charlie Co and his fellow artists will set up floating artworks dubbed “Dreamers’ Floating Carousel” at the fountain area of the BCGC.

Tajanlangit  said the new attractions at the plaza are aimed at  bringing back the focus to the area as the “heart of the festival.”

The 2011 MassKara festival is going to be a festival of lights. Every night the people will see light shows especially at the Bacolod plaza, he said.

Tourists  and visitors can go every night to these areas and have their pictures taken, he added.

This year,  La Consolacion College, which last  participated in the MassKara Festival in 2004, will return with innovative giant MassKara puppets that will dance in the streets.*NLG

Read More

MassKara Village opens Oct. 3

Mayor Evelio Leonardia will lead city officials in formally opening the MassKara Village tentatively scheduled on October 3, at Robinsons Place in Bacolod City.

MassKara Village project head Yasmin Pascual-Dormido said yesterday that the event will be aired live on The Morning Show of ABS-CBN, adding that this is the 15th year ABS-CBN is sponsoring the mask-making competition.

Dormido said they had about 60 entries last year and they are happy about the quality of the entries.

She said that before these entries are judged, some visitors from abroad have already reserved them because they want to pick them up before they leave the country, while there are those who want them for souvenirs for display in hotels.

“This means that they love the pieces of art that our local talents have made and this also speaks of our culture and the character of Bacoleños – fun-loving, colorful, and very hospitable,” Dormido said.

Meanwhile, the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros will also hold a mask-making competition in selected barangays in the city from Oct. 5-10 as part of its “Barangay Taliambong” project.

AAB-N president Corazon Golez said they will conduct an on-the-spot painting for out-of-school youth, recycling projects for women in the barangay, a “pinta-sikad” contest among trisikad drivers, and mural painting of the barangay hall or lying-in clinic.*By Chrysee G. Samillano/ The Visayan Daily Star/September 6, 2011

Read More

Countdown to MassKara Festival starts

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Mayor Evelio Leonardia led the switch-on ceremonies of the Billboard of Lights at the public plaza Friday night to officially launch the countdown to the 32nd MassKara Festival from October 1 to 19.

Leonardia said this year’s festival, with the theme, “Celebrating the New Icons of Bacolod” will be livelier because of more improvements and innovations.

For one, the streetdancing barangay competition on October 16 will have, for the first time in 32 years, live music using drums, percussions, and various parade instruments, he said.

Gerry Grey, music committee chairman of the MassKara Festival, said the “contagious” live music from large groups of drumbeaters and dancers “will transform Bacolod into the Philippine version of tropical mardi gras.”

This year’s MassKara celebration will also be a festival of lights, with various light shows in the public plaza and the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), said festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit.

There will also be a mask-lantern contest for inmates of 18 jail districts in Negros Occidental, he said, adding that the giant mask-lanterns they make will be hung around the plaza as another attraction starting October 1.

On the same date, the plaza bandstand will be illuminated with light shows, while on October 9, Charlie Co and his fellow artists will set up floating artwork at the fountain area of the BCGC, he said.

Tajanlangit said the new attractions in the Bacolod Plaza will reposition the place as the “heart of the festival.” These are also expected to attract more foreign and local tourists to the area where they could go there every night and have their pictures taken, he said, adding that shows of lights will be a regular feature nightly.
Leonardia said the MassKara this year will focus solely on the festival, and no longer in consonance with the city’s Charter Day, which was usually held every Oct. 19 in the past but was celebrated last June 18 already.

The mayor said the change of date of the Charter Day was done after documents from the archives of the House of Representatives and those sent by the National Historical Commission showed that the birthday of Bacolod was actually June 18, 1938 and not October 19 as it had been observed before.

The MassKara theme, meanwhile, focuses on the new landmarks, structures, institutions, and even personalities that have dramatically transformed Bacolod in recent years, Tajanlangit said.

Festival highlights include Majica MassKara which opens October 7, Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary on October 9, Electric MassKara on October 14-15, streetdancing competitions on October 15-16, MassKara Queen on October 17, and Salute to Bacolod (Reception for Balik Bacolod Program) on October 18.*By Danny B. Dangcalan/ The Freeman/ September 7, 2011

Read More

Beauties call gov’t center ‘new icon’

Most candidates of the 2011 MassKara Queen, who were presented to the media at the L’ Fisher Hotel yesterday, picked the Bacolod City Government Center as the new icon that could best portray the characteristics of Bacoleños.

Giah Blaine Sumalde and Alona Jabaybay said the Government Center is the seat of power and it is a symbol of the dedication of city officials to serve, not only the Bacoleños, but also the Negrenses because this is where they discuss the plans they have for the betterment of residents.

Alyssa Villarico, Anastacia Concepcion and Rexie Lynn Lim said the Government Center shows that the city has evolved from being a small town to a progressive city that continues to move forward.

Alexis Danica Drilon and Rose Valerie Lapuz, meanwhile, said that for them, the L’ Fisher Chalet is the new icon that could best symbolize the Bacoleño creativity and ingenuity.

For Abegail Rose Valdez and Jelliane Rose Dinorog, the San Sebastian Cathedral is still the best icon that could best represent the Bacoleños as it is where both the rich and the poor get together to show their devotion to their faith.

For Kathleen Matillano, the SM City Bacolod is the best icon that depicts the new face of Bacolod as a progressive city.

The MassKara candidates have a busy schedule ahead of them with several scheduled activities, including a medical mission on September 8 at the 888 Chinatown Square, pageant executive producer Carmela Gamboa-Arcolas, said.

The swimsuit pre-pageant will be on Sept. 20, Fantasy make-up on Sept. 25, Talent Night on Oct. 1, Ramp Modeling on Oct. 7, and Interview on Oct. 9, while the grand coronation night will be on Oct. 17.*By Adrian P. Nemes*The Visayan Daily Star/September 6, 2011

Read More