MassKara Festival in Bacolod City focuses on economic growth and safety

The 47th MassKara Festival, running from October 1 to 18 under the theme ‘Share the Smile, Celebrate Gugma’, is being positioned as both a cultural celebration and a significant economic driver for Bacolod City. Festival Director Rodney Mitz Ascalon stated the event aims to create meaningful opportunities for local entrepreneurs, food concessionaires, and vendors through designated food parks at the Bacolod Public Plaza and Bacolod City Government Center, as well as a 2.3-kilometer Lacson Tourism Strip.

Regarding the arena dance competition, Mayor Greg Gasataya announced that the venue has been relocated from the Paglaum sports complex to the area in front of SM City Bacolod. The Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. opted against using Paglaum due to safety concerns regarding the structural integrity of the complex and the potential risk of collapse under heavy crowd weight. To address local concerns regarding flooding at the new SM City Bacolod site, festival organizers noted that management has addressed previous flooding issues and the City Engineer’s Office has prepared standby water pumps to manage rainfall during the festivities.