The MassKara Festival 2012 | Life's Good in Bacolod

Countdown to Charter Day Anniversary

By Adrian Nemes III | Visayan Daily Star | October 19, 2010

A magnificent display of fireworks last night lit up the skies above the Government Center for about 20 minutes to usher in the 72nd Charter Anniversary of Bacolod City today.

The countdown started at 11:58:48 p.m. or 72 seconds to October 19, and at exactly 12 a.m., city officials led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson led the singing of “Happy Birthday” while the fireworks flared and lit up the sky.

Bacoleños gathered around a huge stage in front of the Bacolod City Government Center where the Manila-based bands Sugar Free, Calla Lily, 6 Cycle Mind and Sponge Cola performed their hits.

Aside from the merry-making at the government center, people also gathered at the Bacolod public plaza for the simultaneous countdown sponsored by DYWB Bombo Radyo Bacolod.

The crowd at the public plaza was entertained by Manila-based singers Blakdyak and Maricar Dela Fuente, the comedians from the Black Velvet comedy bar and some local bands.

The events at the government center were also witnessed by the audience at the public plaza through giant television screens.

Eli Tajanlangit, MassKara Festival director, placed the crowd estimate for the countdown at 30,000.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the 2010 Bacolod Charter Day countdown, dubbed the biggest ever since it started, is the only one of its kind that comes closest to that of the New Year’s Eve countdown at the Times Square in New York.

Leonardia said the countdown has developed through the years and was embraced by the people since it was first conceptualized in 2004. More innovations were introduced for the next celebrations of Bacolod’s charter day anniversary, including the Electric MassKara at Lacson Street now known as the Tourism Strip, he added.

Bacolod representative Anthony Golez said that the city has changed a lot all throughout the years and still continues to evolve. He said that the city residents who have transferred to other provinces and outside the country are surprised at the improvements they see every time they come home to witness the MassKara festival.

Bacoleños can now boost of the improved infrastructure, health care, education and basic social services programs and job opportunities, he added.

The countdown 2010 is in partnership with Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines and Globe Telecommunications.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III and several councilors from Iloilo City were present at the countdown last night. They were in the city for the twinning rites of Iloilo and Bacolod today at the government center.*APN

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3:05 am - October 20, 2010 Posted by admin

Electric MassKara 2010

By Liza Gapac/ Visayan Daily Star/ October 16, 2010

Brgy. Cabug bested nine participants in the float competition of the Electric MassKara held at the Tourism Strip at Lacson Street in Bacolod City last night.

Brgy. Tangub with its elephant float and gymnasts bagged the second place, while the entry of Brgy. 3 that featured the Dragon MassKara placed third.

Heavy rain delayed the start of Bacolod’s 4th Electric MassKara but the skies cleared later and the fine weather enabled the huge crowd to enjoy the show.

Manny Montelibano, Electric MassKara director, said the champion received P50,000, the second placer P30,000, and third placer P20,000. Ten barangays participated in the Electric MassKara 2010, the fourth to be held by the city.

Each contingent performed a three-to-seven-minute dance number at every post-station at the Tourism Stip.

This year’s theme is circus and carnival. The participants played with various colors from neon to pastel. Some had the land of fairies for motif, some featured clowns and gymnasts, and others combined dances and gymnastics.

Aside from the circus and carnival theme, the contingents also showed their uniqueness in their MassKara, some of which were patterned from ornate Thai masks, others Corinthian castles, and some in exotic Egyptian styles.

Montelibano said they added the float and live music performances this year. Participants must have their own floats and failure to have one will mean disqualification, he said.

He also said there were 10 official participants in the competition. However, Brgy. 2 was disqualified because their float was damaged before the start of the contest.

He said there are more participants this year compared to last year. “Through the years, the Electric MassKara is improving and we are happy that people have always been supportive of this activity,” Montelibano added.

The participants were judged based on their creativity, originality, and choreography. The top three winners will again be on parade tonight at 7.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia presented the awards last night.*LTG