October 2016 is just around the corner and in Bacolod City, the most significant event coming is the MassKara Festival! This is now the 37th year of the MassKara Festival and to make the celebration more exciting, we will have activities as soon as the month starts. Yes, this year, the festivities will run for three weeks–from October 1 to 23, 2016!
Last Monday, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 14 designating Councilor Em Ang as “Festival Action Officer” for this year’s MassKara Festival. Councilor Em Ang is also the chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism. In his executive order dated Sept. 19, Mayor Leonardia said Councilor Em Ang is tasked to coordinate with the Silver MassKara Festival Organization or SMFO, this year’s official organizer of Bacolod’s world-famous festival, in order to “maximize the synergy, synchronization and coordination” between the city government and the SMFO.
Mayor Leonardia said that after the convincing results of the May 2016 elections, where the MassKara was among the major issues, Bacoleños are looking forward to a bigger and much-improved MassKara celebration this year. He also added that his administration considers the MassKara Festival a mission for and a commitment to the people of Bacolod, visitors, as well as tourists. For many years now, it has been the practice of the Leonardia administration to pursue the MassKara Festival as a public-private partnership. But while it is best that the festival is in partnership with the private sector, the city government should take a more active and direct role in the joint pursuit of a successful festival, he adds.
Leonardia said that he is confident in Councilor Ang as the festival action officer as she has a vast experience in events management. She had proven this, among others, when she was organizing local, national, and even international activities, having been once the highest national officer of the prestigious Lions Clubs International.
SMFO Committee Chairpersons
The Silver MassKara Festival Organization (SMFO) was organized during the MassKara Festival in 2004, which marked the event’s 25th year, or the silver year. It was also under the Leonardia administration. This year, they were re-appointed by Mayor Leonardia to organize the MassKara Festival The Silver MassKara Festival Organization was the official organizer of the MassKara Festival from 2004 to 2012, during which the MassKara Festival earned global acclaim from two of the world’s most respected media organizations.
In 2012, the National Geographic magazine named the MassKara Festival as “one of the 12 must-do things in the world in October.” Also in the same year, highly respected Cable News Network or CNN chose the MassKara Festival as “one of the 12 best things in the Philippines.”
Many of the current SMFO committee chairs have been with the organization from 2004 to 2012.
1. ELI FRANCIS J. TAJANLANGIT – FESTIVAL DIRECTOR, who has been with festival director from 2004 to 2012
2. MA. CARMEN A. VASQUEZ – DIRECTOR FOR MARKETING AND FESTIVAL SITES; ADMIN AND SECRETARIAT
3. RUDY REVECHE – STREET DANCE
4. CHARLIE CO – MAJICA MASSKARA
5. DR. MA. MERCEDES A. JOSON – MASSKARA QUEEN. Dr. Joson is the president of the Association of Colleges and Universities of Negros Occidental or ACUNO.
6. PETER JOHN C. PALMA – ELECTRIC MASSKARA. Note: This year’s Electric MassKara at the Tourism Strip of Lacson Street, will be on October 20, 21, and 22, with Performing Floats Competition on October 21-22.
7. DANNY B. DANGCALAN – PUBLICITY AND PROMOTIONS.
8. ELICA TAJANLANGIT – SOCIAL MEDIA
9. ISRAEL SALANGA – handling 3 major events: NIGHTS OF MARDI GRAS, TANDA! SING NA, DANCE PA! AND MASSKARA RED PARTY.
The Masskara 2016 Logo
MassKara Festival 2016 Logo: The mask. The sun. The bird.
A smiling mask, representing the present Bacolod, is rendered as a cheerful sun, representing her people’s hopes and aspirations. It can also be viewed as a bird in flight, gentle but strong in its desire to reach her dreams.
Masskara Festival 2016 Music
The Silver MassKara Festival Organization (SMFO) launched last September 22 the official music of the 2016 MassKara Festival at the lobby of the Bacolod Government Center. The airing of the music was accompanied by the MassKara dancers of Barangay Granada, last year’s champion in the Street and Arena Dance Competition.
37th MASSKARA FESTIVAL
October 1-23, 2016
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS*
OCTOBER 1 – Saturday
8AM-5PM Medical Mission BAYS Center
12:00 NN MassKara Queen Press Presentation Business Inn
3:00 PM DepEd Parade Drum & Bugle Competition Public Plaza
5:00 PM OPENING RITES: MASSKARA FESTIVAL 2016 Public Plaza
Carnival Site Opening SM Grounds and
Bacolod Gov’t Center
7:00 PM Smart Entertainment Public Plaza
OCTOBER 2 – Sunday
8AM-5PM PICD Worship & Sports Fest BAYS Center
7:00 PM TANDA! “Sing Na Dance Pa” Eliminations Public Plaza
Ongoing until Oct.7
OCTOBER 5 – Wednesday
12NN-8PM Senior Citizens Cultural Presentation BAYS Center
OCTOBER 6 – Thursday
6AM-8PM Senior Citizens Coronation of Queen BAYS Center
6:00 PM Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016 SMX Convention Center
OCTOBER 8 – Saturday
7:00 PM TANDA! – 1st Weekly Finals Public Plaza
4PM-6PM MassKara Queen Talent Competition Robinsons Place
5PM-12MN Dekada ’80 BAYS Center
6:00 PM Unveiling: Charlie Co’s Golden Age of Change Bacolod Gov’t Center Fountain Area
OCTOBER 9 – Sunday
1PM-8PM MassKara Dog Show BAYS Center
7:00 PM TANDA! Eliminations (Ongoing until Oct.14) Public Plaza
MassKara Queen Swim Suit Competition Palmas del Mar
OCTOBER 10 – Monday
8:00 PM Nights of Mardi Gras Public Plaza
OCTOBER 11 – Tuesday
8:00 PM Nights of Mardi Gras Public Plaza
OCTOBER 12 – Wednesday
8:00 PM Nights of Mardi Gras Public Plaza
OCTOBER 14 – Friday
9:00 PM San Miguel Beer Night Public Plaza
OCTOBER 15 – Saturday
4PM-7PM MassKara Queen Pageant Night USLS Bacolod
7:00 PM TANDA! 2nd Weekly Finals Public Plaza
9:00 PM San Miguel Beer Night Public Plaza
10AM-9PM VolksKara SM City Bacolod North Parking Area
OCTOBER 16 – Sunday
5:15 AM R.I.C.O Run Robinsons Place
10AM-9PM VolksKara SM City Bacolod North Parking Area
7:00 PM TANDA! Eliminations (Ongoing until Oct.20) Public Plaza
9:00 PM San Miguel Beer Night Public Plaza
OCTOBER 17 – Monday
9AM-5PM 1st Bonsai Exhibit (Ongoing until Oct.23) Bacolod Gov’t Center Annex Bldg.
7:00 PM MassKara Red Party Bacolod Gov’t Center
OCTOBER 18 – Tuesday
6:00 PM 4th Bacolod for Jesus Bacolod Gov’t Center
OCTOBER 19 – Wednesday
6:00 PM 4th Bacolod for Jesus Bacolod Gov,t Center
10:00 PM Sadya ang MassKara with Mayor Bing Fireworks Competition Bacolod Gov’t Center
OCTOBER 20 – Thursday
6:00 PM 4th Bacolod for Jesus Bacolod Gov’t Center
7:00 PM Opening: Electric Masskara Tourism Strip
9:00 PM San Miguel Beer Night Public Plaza
9:00 PM Street Parties Tourism Strip
10:00 PM Sadya ang MassKara with Mayor Bing Fireworks Competition Public Plaza
OCTOBER 21 – Friday
7:00 PM TANDA! 3rd Weekly Finals Public Plaza
7:00 PM Electric MassKara Performing Floats Competition Tourism Strip
9:00 PM San Miguel Beer Night: Callalily Public Plaza
9:00 PM Street Parties Tourism Strip
10:00 PM Sadya ang MassKara with Mayor Bing Fireworks Competition Tourism Strip
OCTOBER 22 – Saturday (Globe Day)
3:00 PM Street Dance – Schools Category Public Plaza
6PM-10PM JaDine IN Love Philippine Tour 2016 USLS Bacolod
7:00 PM TANDA! “Sing Na Dance Pa” Grand Finals Public Plaza
7:00 PM Electric MassKara Champions Showcase: Performing Floats Competition Tourism Strip
9:00 PM Street Parties Tourism Strip
9:00 PM San Miguel Beer Night: Callalily Bacolod Gov’t Center
10:00 PM Sadya ang MassKara with Mayor Bing Fireworks Competition Tourism Strip
OCTOBER 23 – Sunday
2:00 PM Street Dance Barangay Category Public Plaza
8:00 PM Globe Concert Bacolod Gov’t Center
8:00 PM Coke Night Public Plaza
9:00 PM Electric MassKara Street Parties Tourism Strip
10:00 PM Sadya ang MassKara with Mayor Bing Fireworks Champion Showcase Bacolod Gov’t Center
*UPDATED SCHEDULE AS OF SEPT. 22, 2016
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