By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz told the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc., which is again handling this year’s MassKara Festival, to observe protocol in its request to use provincial government properties for festival activities in October 2023.
Diaz told reporters on Wednesday that BYFI president Katherine Matiling, together with City Administrator Atty. Pacifico Maghari, City Legal Officer Atty. Romeo Carlos Ting and two other officials of the foundation, met with him Monday at his office.
He said that the group handed him a letter from the foundation requesting the use of the Paglaum Sports Complex as the venue for the MassKara Festival arena street dancing competition.
But Diaz said that the formal letter should come from Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez as protocol dictates.
“Sang previous ang nagsulat lang ang Yuhum Foundation which has no accreditation and legal standing with respect to the province,” Diaz said.
So by protocol, it should be the mayor of Bacolod who will write a formal letter to the governor, Diaz reiterated.
He said that aside from the Paglaum Sports Complex, also to be occupied for the MassKara Festival events are the north capitol road and the lagoon.
Diaz said the provincial government has no problem with the use of these areas for the MassKara Festival events.
Upon receipt of the letter and the governor’s approval, he said the working team of the foundation and that of the province would sit down for the details.
He said that so far, the provincial government has continued with the upkeep of the Paglaum Sports Complex, and last year, the roof was repaired for the event which was attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Diaz said the provincial can also provide security so that the event will be incident-free and that those who are going to see the MassKara street dance and arena competition will be secured, especially government officials and VIPs.
He said the use of the provincial government properties as venues for the MassKara Festival events will be for free and in exchange, the provincial will be acknowledged as a major sponsor.
Diaz said, “If you quantify this sa monetary daku daku naman ni.”
