Unmasking Masskara

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Welcome to the sweetest province in the country, where everybody wears a smile here at the City of Smiles –BACOLOD!

 Do you know that it only takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown, not only that, when you smile it brings the best in you, your personality, grace and shows a positive outlook in life compared to frowning which maybe interpreted as one carrying the whole world’s problems on his shoulder and frowning can easily make you look very old in seconds.

When in Bacolod, you get to experience fun in the Philippines like no other, we have wider roads, and a  choice of transportation to take you around from taxi, jeepney, tricycle and even the tri-sikad or better yet a choice of cars where you can rent for a day or two and a whole line of yellow buses to take you around the island.

Booming Bacolod is the capital of Negros Occidental and is very accessible by air, land or sea. This week is indeed the time to celebrate the MassKara Festival with  61 barangays and a land area of about 16,146 hectares, the city  is fast becoming a retirement haven in the Visayas with healthcare, education , entertainment and shopping that is very accessible.

The MassKara Queen pageant had a great production at SMX early this week, this was a pageant for the brainy, sexy and beautiful ladies with a cause, there were eleven candidates, this time an educator won the crown with her wit and charm, Sam Gergiana Yu when asked if she wants to change one thing in the heart of humanity what would it be and why? She chose to change selfishness being the root of all evil to love and care. Tall and Beautiful Mae Lourine Mercado, a mechanical engineering student who also won most of the special awards, was a crowd favorite  but missed to complete her answer when asked, What role in winning the competition play in her future?  Having judged various beauty pageants, it was hard to spot the winner the first time they went out on stage until the special awards were given and the Q and A began.

Wherever you go, you see smiling faces, huge masks at the malls for photo opportunity, a festival costume display, a Masskara Village, and a must visit to the 2nd  MassKara City which will open tomorrow at the SMX with an island wide travel fair showcasing the best attractions, from various cities and sectors in the community where one can network and explore linkages and business partnerships plus conferences on MICE Tourism Opportunities on October 16, Green Economic Development on October 17 and  trends in Product design on October 18.

The Council of Hospitality and Tourism Students will also  hold the search for the 2nd Negros Tourism Ambassadress during the three day  Travel and Tour Expo at SMX  with a fashion show of school executive attire, school uniform, F&B attire, school chef attire, and the competition for  flight attendant attire and Filipiniana plus the festival costume attire.

Behind the colorful festival dance, its beginnings, the resilience of every Bacolodnon has shown as we still manage to wear a smile – this is what MassKara has instilled in us, as we unmask our festival MassKara.

Street Dance and Arena Competition was at Paglaum Sports Complex on the October 16 and 17, where tickets were sold for those who wanted to watch this world-class festival dance show and be seated comfortably for the benefit of the Bacolod City Police Office and Kasadya Bacolod Development Foundation Inc. .

Enjoy the party along Lacson Street, have fun at MassKara Festival and be sure to plan for your next visit in 2016 and don’t forget to wear a smile.

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