Ruby MassKara kicks off today

Workers rush the construction of kiosks at the Bacolod City public plaza in time for the opening of the MassKara festivities today, Oct. 7, 2019. (Dolly Yasa)

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A visual feast of a program will open the 40th edition of the MassKara Festival today, Oct 7, at 6 p.m., at The Bandstand of the Bacolod Public Plaza.

Festival Director Eli Tajanlangit also said that fireworks, light shows, and colorful dance performances will be part of the opening ceremonies to be directed by Amber Marie Aguilar.

The opening will also feature an Electric MassKara float, a MassKara mob dance, the MassKara Queen candidates, and international solo mask performers from Cambodia and Indonesia.

Short performances from all 14 entries in the barangay category of the Street and Arena Dance Competition will also be featured, he added.

A fireworks display and mass dance by MassKara Dancers and guests will serve as finale of the show.

The ceremonies will also mark the opening of festival sites at the plaza, Bacolod Government Center, and the carnival sites beside the Pope John Paul II Tower and at the football field of BGC.

Earlier Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia confirmed that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has confirmed his coming for the festivities.

It will be the fourth time that President Duterte will come for the festivities since he was elected as President.

Leonardia said this year’s MassKara Festival will be like no other celebration in the past.

About 700 traffic enforcers and force multipliers from the barangay will also be tapped to manage the traffic all throughout the festivities.

Bacolod City policemen who will be deployed to maintain the peace and order will also be augmented by cops coming from the PRO-6; and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.