“Get happy,” the Travel Section of the magazine wrote, “ Travel to Bacolod City, Philippines to dance in the streets wearing bright costumes and smiling masks at the MassKara Festival (October 1-21).”

NatGeo is the second international news organization to have endorsed the MassKara Festival. Earlier, CNN also chose Bacolod’s festival “one of the 12 best things in the Philippines.”

The MassKara joined the NatGeo list that included the Nuit Blanche or White Night festival in Paris, the Festival of Lights in Berlin, the Annual Apple Festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Melbourne Festival of Arts, the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival in New Mexico and the Festival de Moie of Mexico.

The MassKara was one of the only two Asian events that made it to the NatGeo list. The other is the Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival (October 26-30) in northeastern Thailand.

“When a sugar-industry slump coincided with a tragedy at sea that claimed close to 700 lives, the community decided to hold a festival to demonstrate their solidarity and determination to rise above adversity. The tradition bore repeating and the celebration grows each year,” the Nat Geo article added.

Yet again, we have here a validation that our MassKara has joined the international tourism map, Eli Tajanlangit, festival director for the last nine years said, today (Dec. 5).

As envisioned by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the MassKara is now an international event, he added.

Tajanlangit recalled that Leonardia had directed them to reengineer the MassKara into the global festival that it should be when he first appointed them organizers nine years ago.*

Johan Ustin Sisno, a resident of Mabolo, Cebu City, won P15,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy with his entry titled “The Posey,” festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit announced Thursday (Nov. 29).

Winning first runner-up is Wilfredo Lumagbas Jr. of Alunan, Bacolod City, with his entry titled, “Vibrant Bacolod.” He won P10,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy, Tajanlangit said.

Ariel Salupan of Lahug, Cebu City was second runner-up, with 5,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy, he added.

Completing the Top 10 to receive a medal each are Robo Formacion of Del Rosario St., Cebu City; Robin Pinzon of Sto. Cristo, Angeles City; Michol Sanchez of Rama Avenue, Cebu City; Carl John Verde of Brgy. 2 Bacolod City; Glenn Gamayot of Batuan, Bohol; Ariel Salupan of Lahug, Cebu City; and Kate Larrazabal of Seaview Subdivision, Silay City.

Salupan’s entry was chosen as Sponsor’s Photo, with P2,000 cash prize.

The contingents of Sum-ag Elementary School and Brgy. Cabug for the streetdance competitions school and barangay categories, respectively, were chosen as Photographers’ Choice. Both contingents will receive P5,000 cash prize each, he added.

Sum-ag Elementary School was declared the grand champion in the elementary category of the streetdance competition, while Brgy. Cabug was first runner-up in the barangay category of the same competition.

The photo contest was a partnership between the Camera Club of Negros and the Silver MassKara Festival Organization, organizer of the MassKara Festival since 2004.

Judging the entries were Camera Club of Negros directors Billy Lopue and Carlo Leonardia; Rudy Reveche, special events and streetdance committees chairman of the MassKara Festival, visual artist and Fine Arts professor Bamboo Tonogbanua, and Architect Rialino Alisbo, dean of ARFIEN Department of the La Consolacion College—Bacolod.*

Champion – Johan Ustin F Sisno – “The Posey”

1st Runner Up – Wilredo N Lumagbas Jr – “Vibrant Bacolod”

2nd Runner Up – Ariel “Aying” Salupan

Sponsors Choice – Ariel Salupan

Where are the eight letters of the MassKara logo replica? Check out where they have been, and win a prize.

The MassKara logo giant replica was unveiled in July at the Bacolod Government Center, and it has since moved to various establishments hosting it.

The eight letters are now scattered in establishments that previously hosted it for a week or two.

Once you find the letter, take your photo with them until you completed the eight letters. You can then win P5,000 in cash by joining two of the contests, Tajanlangit said.

The first one is at Robinsons Place Bacolod, where a participant needs to have his eight photos printed at Picture City for a minimal fee of P45 and leave the photos with Customer Service. The photos will be put on a wall, and the most creative among them will be given P5,000.

The second one is at Lifestyles Bacolod, where a participant can upload all his eight photos on the magazine’s Facebook page. The most creative will also get P5,000.

The New Oldz Crew was the grand champion in the GMA DanssKara: The MassKara Dance Showdown held at the BAYS Center Tuesday (Oct. 23). The group received P15,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy from Councilor Mona Dia Jardin, first lady Elsa Leonardia, and festival director Eli Tajanlangit, streetdance committee chairman Rudy Reveche and GMA Bacolod anchor Adrian Bobe.

The champion dance group won P15,000 and a MassKara trophy.

The DanssKara grand finals was supposed to be held Monday night (Oct. 22) during the closing rites of the festival at the Bacolod public plaza, but organizers decided to cancel the competition when heavy rains persisted.

Winning first runner-up was the War Crew with P10,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy.

True Friends was second runner-up with P7,000 cash prize and a trophy.

Finalists New Born Crew, Off Beat, Delta Heat Waves, After Class Crew, Bacolod Freestylerz, Real Gallians, and YC Lakas Pinas received P3,000 in cash each.

The winners of the grand finals of Tandâ! Sing Na, Dance Pa! The MassKara Inter-Barangay Talent Competition held at the Bacolod public plaza Monday night were also announced Tuesday (Oct. 23).

Glas Rosquillo, the grand champion in the solo dance category of Tandâ! Sing Na, Dance Pa! competition held at the Bacolod publiz plaza Monday (Oct. 22) , receives P5,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy from festival director Eli Tajanlangit, first lady Elsa Leonardia, and Councilor Mona Dia Jardin Tuesday (Oct. 23)

For vocal solo, the winners were: champion—Mary Kashmere Solano of Brgy. Villamonte; first runner-up—Reysa Jean Escañan of Brgy. Taculing; and second runner-up—Mary Rose Vagelidad of Brgy. Tangub.

For solo dance, the winners were: champion—Glas Rosquillo of Brgy. Sum-ag; first runner-up—Nestor Guancia of Brgy. 16; and second runner-up—Kenneth dela Cruz (Mariposa) of Brgy. Bata.

Mary Kashmere Solano, the grand champion in the vocal solo of Tandâ! Sing Na, Dance Pa! competition held at the Bacolod public plaza Monday night (Oct. 22), receives P5,000 cash prize and a MassKara trophy from festival director Eli Tajanlangit, first lady Elsa Leonardia, and Councilor Mona Dia Jardin Tuesday (Oct. 23)

The winners for both vocal solo and solo dance received P5,000—champion, P3,000—first runner-up, and P2,000—second runner-up.*

Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Councilor Mona Dia Jardin, Councilor Em Ang, festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit, and streetdance and entertainment committees chairman Rudy Reveche award the winners of the 33rd MassKara Festival official competitions at the closing rites at the Bacolod public plaza last night (Oct. 22).* DARYL JIMENEA PHOTOS

“Thank you to all sectors for your cooperation. With all your support, we have transformed the MassKara into an icon of the Philippines and a world-class festival,” Leonardia said in his message at the closing rites of the 22-day celebration at the Bacolod public plaza last night (Oct. 22).

No less than the international news channel Cable News Network (CNN) named Bacolod’s MassKara Festival as “one of the 12 best things in the Philippines,” he said.

Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia

In its CNN iReport: Eye on the Philippines posted on its website www.edition.cnn.com recently, the MassKara Festival was listed eighth among the 12 best things in the country.

“The MassKara Festival has become a unifying factor because it has strengthened our bond as Bacoleños,” he said.

The mayor said the 2012 MassKara was his 12th as a mayor, and since this was the last edition of the festival under him as a mayor, he instructed the festival organizers to make it as the “grandest MassKara festival ever.”

In a separate interview yesterday, Leonardia also disclosed that even the mayors who attended the three-day League of Cities in the Philippines conference at the L’ Fisher Hotel were impressed with the large crowd in the MassKara Festival.

He disclosed that the number of flights coming to the city in the past two weeks was one of the highest, while the hotels were fully booked.

One of the highlights of the closing ceremonies was the awarding of winners of the different official festival competitions such as the streetdance and Electric MassKara performing float competitions.

A grand fireworks display capped the 22-day 33rd MassKara Festival at the closing rites at the Bacolod public plaza last night (Oct. 22).*

The winners received cash prizes and official MassKara trophies painted on by eight emerging Bacolod artists who also designed this year’s MassKara logo.

The second part of the program was the grand finals of Tandâ! Sing Na, Dance Pa! The MassKara Inter-Barangay Talent Competition at the Bacolod public plaza.

The third part of the program was the grand finals of GMA DanssKara: The MassKara Dance Showdown, also at the Bacolod public plaza. However, after the performances of two groups, heavy rains persisted so the organizers were forced to cancel the show.

Festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit ordered the cancellation of the contest because the stage became slippery and dangerous for the dancers.

The DanssKara grand finals will be continued today (Oct. 23) at the BAYS Center at 2 p.m. The winners of both contests will be announced today (Oct. 23).

But despite the rains, GMA went on with its Kapuso Show featuring Geoff Eigenmann, Mark Herras, Rochelle Pangilinan and Mark Bautista.

The closing ceremonies last night was capped with fireworks display and with people still partying at the plaza all night long.*

The first part of the closing program is the awarding of winners of the official festival competitions such as the streetdance— both school and barangay categories, Electric MassKara performing floats, Cosplay on the Glow, and photo contest.

The winners will receive cash prizes and official MassKara trophies painted on by eight emerging Bacolod artists who also designed this year’s MassKara logo.

The second part of the program is the grand finals of Tandâ! Sing Na, Dance Pa! The MassKara Inter-Barangay Talent Competition at the Bacolod public plaza.

The winners of three weekly semi-finals for both the vocal solo and solo dance shall compete for the championship tonight.

The third part of the program is the grand finals of GMA DanssKara: The MassKara Dance Showdown, also at the Bacolod public plaza.

Twenty qualifiers competed last Oct. 1 and were trimmed down to 10. The finalists are War Crew, New Born Crew, Off Beat, Delta Heat Waves, New Oldz Crew, After Class Crew, Bacolod Free Stylerz, Real Gallians, YC Lakas Pinas, and True Friends.

The grand champion will receive P15,000, first runner-up—P10,000; second runner-up P7,500; and P3,000 for the non-winners.

GMA Kapuso Stars Elmo Magalona, Bela Padilla, Geoff Eigenmann, Mark Herras, Rochelle Pangilinan and Mark Bautista will join the DanssKara grand finals, and will stay for the Kapuso Night, also at the Bacolod public plaza.

Street parties at the public plaza continue all night long.*

Champion, Brgy. 17

Bested 14 other participants, Brgy. 17 was the last performer in the arena competition, and its sterling performance served as the show’s finale. It won a MassKara trophy and a cash prize of P100,000.

Aside from the championship title, Brgy. 17 was adjudged Best in Mask, Best in Concept and Best in Choreography. The winning barangay is under barangay captain Rogelio Pabiania Jr., and was choreographed by Segundo Jesus Cabalcar Jr., the winningest choreographer in the 33-year history of the MassKara Festival.

Cabalcar also designed the mask and costumes of Brgy. 17, which was last year’s first runner-up in the streetdancing competitions.

Winning first runner-up last night was Brgy. Cabug, under barangay captain Juan Zonuel Malayang and choreographed by Glenn Recaido, who also designed the mask and costumes. Brgy. Cabug won P75,000 as cash prize.

Second runner-up was Brgy. 6 with P50,000 cash prize, third runner-up was Brgy. 32 with P30,000, and fourth runner-up was Brgy. Alijis with P20,000. Brgy. Alijis won Best in Costume, which was designed by Emile June Bantolo.

Judging the arena competition at the Bacolod public plaza were Julius Sollesta, member of the Karilagan Dance Theater and choreographer of the 23rd SEA (Southeast Asian Games opening ceremonies in Bacolod; Larry Gabao, president of Philippine Folk Dance Society; and Paul Morales, independent filmmaker and theater director.

Judging the street dance along Araneta St. were ID Acaylar, former festival director of Kadayawan sa Davao; Sonny Villares, producer of Ms. Zamboanga Beauty Pageant; and Kenneth Fernandez, senior counselor of the United States Department of State Cultural exchange program.

The street performance, comprising 50 percent of the total score, was judged based on dance consistency, choreography, performance, and production design; while the arena performance, comprising the other 50 percent, was judged based on concept, choreography, performance , and production design.*

Brgy. Taculing, with its “Manok ni San Pedro” theme, was the champion in the Electric MassKara performing float competition held last Saturday night. (Oct. 20)*Daryl Jimenea photos

Taculing, which won a cash prize of P50,000, bested nine other performing floats in the 6th Electric MassKara held at the Tourism Strip, along Lacson St. in Bacolod from Oct. 19 to 21.

1st Runner Up, Brgy. 30.

Brgy. 30 was first runner-up, with P30,000 as cash prize. It was last year’s second runner-up. Brgy. 2 was second runner-up, with P20,000 as cash prize.

Other participants were Barangays 23, 38, 40, 35, 7, 33, and Tangub.

2nd Runner Up, Brgy. 2

Every float contingent performed a three-to-seven minute dance number at the five post-stations from SM City Bacolod at Rizal St. at the Tourism Strip, with five judges.

The production designs of the floats were anchored on the theme, “Life’s Good in Bacolod.”

The contingents were judged based on their creative use of materials and lights, music, choreography, costumes, and sequence, and the audience impact.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and his wife Elsa, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, and festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit presented the awards to the winners.

Judges were artists Dennis Ascalon, Hilario “Doods” Campos III, Barry Cervantes, Maureen Austria, and Jade Snow Dionson.

Luisa Medel NHS was also named Best in Concept and Best in Choreography, while Sum-ag ES also won Best in Concept.

Prizes for each secondary and elementary levels are: champion—P50,000; first runner-up—P30,000; second runner-up—P20,000; third runner-up—P10,000; and fourth runner-up—P10,000.

Other winners in the secondary level are Luis Hervias NHS—first runner-up; Teofilo Gensoli NHS—second runner-up; and Domingo Lacson NHS—third runner-up. Luis Hervias NHS also won Best in Costume and Best in Mask.

Other winners in the elementary level are Banago ES—first runner-up; second runner-up—Montevista ES; third runner-up—A.L. Jayme ES; and fourth runner-up Education and Training Center School (ETCS) II.

Montevista ES won Best in Choreography, A.L. Jayme ES won Best in Costume, while A. Mabini ES won Best in Mask.

The board of judges for the street dancing were ID Acaylar, director of Kadayawan sa Davao from 1997 to 2007, Sonny Villares, producer of the Miss Zamboanga beauty pageant, and Engel Boen Zerna, artistic director of the Silliman University’s Kahayag Dance Company; and for the arena dancing were Julius Sollesta—choreographer and a member of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts speakers’ bureau on dance, Larry Gabao—choreographer and president of Folk Dance Society, and Paul Morales, independent filmmaker and theater director.

The street performance, comprising 50 percent of the total score, was judged based on dance consistency, choreography, performance, and production design; while the arena performance, comprising the other 50 percent, was judged based on concept, choreography, performance , and production design.*

The streetancing competitions of the 33rd MassKara Festival start Saturday (Oct. 20) until Sunday (Oct. 21).*JAPOI CEQUINA PHOTOS

The street competition starts at 3 p.m. from Hernaez (formerly Libertad)—Araneta Sts., followed by the arena competitions at 4 pm at the Bacolod public plaza, streetdance committee chairman Rudy Reveche said.

The dancers will start performing along Araneta St., turn left to Gonzaga St., turn right to San Juan St., turn right to Rizal St. (fronting San Sebastian Cathedral), and turn right to Gatuslao St. until the plaza entrance.

A photographers’ lane is designated from Lizares-Araneta Sts. to Hernaez- Araneta Sts. for photographers with official MassKara Photographer’s ID.

The contingents for the barangay category, according to sequence of performance, are Brgys. 29, 11, 39, Felisa, 3, 31, 37, Cabug, 26, 6, 16, 32, 21, Alijis, and 17.

For the elementary category, the participants according to sequence of performance, are the Education Training Center Schools (ETCS) II, A. Mabini Elementary School (ES), Montevista ES, A. L. Jayme ES, Banago I ES, E. Garcia ES, and Sum-ag ES.

For the high school category, the participants according to sequence of performance, are Luis Hervias National High School (NHS), Luisa Medel NHS, Domingo Lacson NHS, and Teofilo Gensoli NHS.

Aside from the Top 5 winners, festival organizers will give out special awards for Best in Mask, Best in Costume, and Best Concept and Best Choreography.

The street performance, comprising 50 percent of the total score, will be judged based on dance consistency, choreography, performance, and production design; while the arena performance, comprising the other 50 percent, will be judged based on concept, choreography, performance , and production design.

Prizes for the barangay category are: champion—P100,000; first runner-up—P75,000; second runner-up—P50,000; third runner-up—P30,000, and fourth runner-up—P20,000.

For school category, prizes for each secondary and elementary levels are: champion—P50,000; first runner-up—P30,000; second runner-up—P20,000; third runner-up—P10,000; and fourth runner-up—P10,000.*