'First MassKara sa Panaad' kicks off in Bacolod
BACOLOD CITY - The provincial government of Negros Occidental has officially opened the ‘MassKara sa Panaad’ here on Monday, Oct. 10.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Negros Association of Chief Executives (ACE) president and Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez led the opening rites of the celebration at the Panaad Park here.
Various local government units (LGUs) in the province showcased their festival dances during the ceremony marking the official start of the one-week celebration.
All the 31 LGUs joined the ‘MassKara sa Panaad’ showcasing their various local products at their respective pavilions.
The event materialized after the city government here invited the province to join the celebration of the 43rd MassKara Festival, by holding the first ever ‘MassKara sa Panaad.’ The province has been annually celebrating the Panaad Festival, but just like the MassKara Festival, it was also suspended for two years because of the pandemic.
In his message, Lacson said the ‘MassKara sa Panaad’ is a groundbreaking event, since it is the first time that the province was invited to join in the celebration of the MassKara Festival.
“We are just happy to be a part of the biggest and most awaited MassKara Festival,” the governor said.
Lacson said this creates an opportunity for the MassKara tourists to experience a glimpse of the land of the sweet surprises, its culture, local products, festivals, travel destinations, and the Negrense cuisine.
“MassKara Festival is more than just a festivity, it is a story of hope, resilience, and ingenuity. As the pandemic forced upon us the use of masks, this year, we again as people are going to don MassKaras with the same grit,” Lacson said.
After two years of uncertainty, the province and the city are united, as they move forward toward recovery, said Lacson as he thanked the local chief executives for their support and cooperation in the event.
For his part, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo 'Albee' thanked the provincial government for accepting the city’s invitation to be part of the festival.
Benitez said that it is a clear indication that Bacolod and Negros Occidental are now collaborating with each other for the betterment of all the Negrenses.
“It is a clear example of what we can be and what we can do for the future if we do it together. We are now united in celebrating this event,” Benitez said.
Benitez said that Councilor Jason Villarosa, chairman of the Committee on Tourism, has a proposal to create an ordinance inviting the province in the MassKara Festival every year.
“It is an indication that we are now one, because Panaad is at the heart of Bacolod, it is but proper that Panaad is part of the celebration,” Benitez said.
With the huge crowd on the opening day, Benitez said they have made the right decision to include and invite the province for the said event.
Meanwhile, Negros ACE president Javier Benitez said that with the unity between the province and the city, possibilities are endless.
“It will bring not only cooperation of culture and tourism, but definitely economic opportunities, since tourists need not go to the whole province to avail of their products,” he added.
He said they are hoping to pitch to the provincial government to open the Panaad park regularly for visitors.
“We want something to be regular. We are exploring ways on what could still be done at Panaad, it could be a theme park or a water park. Everyone is on board, we’re just finalizing things,” he said.