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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Bacolod launches sapphire celebration of MassKara Festival

Bacolod launches sapphire celebration of MassKara Festival

Published Aug 17, 2024 02:57 pm

BACOLOD CITY – This city launched the sapphire or 45th anniversary celebration of the MassKara Festival this year on Saturday, August 17, with a goal to make the event well-known worldwide.

MASSKARA FESTIVAL.jpeg

MAYOR Albee Benitez (fourth from right) and the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc. headed by president and MassKara Festival director Katherine Matiling (right) lead the launching of the sapphire edition of the MassKara Festival this year through 'Unmask, a Sponsors' and Press Presentation' at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on Saturday, August 17. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod PIO)

City officials headed by Mayor Albee Benitez and the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc., festival organizer, led the launching of the festival through "Unmask, a Sponsors' and Press Presentation" at the L’Fisher Hotel here.

During the launching, the city recognized its sponsors and partners, honored people who provided excellent contributions to the event, and unveiled the official logo, theme, and official soundtrack of the festival which is set to kick off barely two months from now.

This year’s logo has additional elements highlighting the message of sustainable development designed by graphic designer Myish Endonila. 

In his message, Benitez said that this year, they are trying to invite and attract foreign people to this city. “Since 2022, MassKara has been a forefront festival in the country, and we have to make it a point that MassKara will be a go-to festival of the country,” he added.

Every year, Benitez said the city is sending MassKara dancers abroad, citing performances in New York City and South Korea last year, and this year in Italy, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

“That is my design. We want it to be exposed internationally because we want this event not just to be a festival of choice locally, but also internationally,” the mayor added.

Benitez acknowledged the challenges they face every time they have to raise the bar but he noted that for this year, they have several strategies to make the festival more popular.

He said that they are now working with a television station to cover the festival. “The exposure through national television will widen the reach of the festival and hopefully, create more awareness and bring more tourists to the City of Smiles,” he added.

“We want everyone to come here, and we’re trying to invite and attract foreign people,” he said, adding that all of these efforts to bring in people from other places and celebrate the festival is for the city itself.

“It benefits everybody, all the stakeholders would greatly benefit from this MassKara event. That’s the reason why we are working our sweat and tears to ensure that MassKara Festival becomes a festival of choice,” Benitez said.

He noted that MassKara Festival every October has the highest registered tourist arrivals and boosts the hospitality industry and other establishments here.

In a media interview after the launching, Benitez said that the city has more surprises for the people of Bacolod and the tourists in this year’s festival. 

He said they are expanding their platforms for the festival coverage, including  national television and social media, to enable the people to enjoy and watch the vibrancy of the festival.

“Our goal all the time is to make it better. We have a very exciting MassKara Festival. We are trying to bring in international entertainment this year,” he said.

This year's edition will feature numerous activities and events from October 11 until October 27.

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Bacolod City MassKara Festival Mayor Albee Benitez
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