• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Close to 800 food kiosks/booths and carts are set to populate the MassKara Festival sites and nearby areas as the world-renowned revelry in Bacolod City kicks off with a historic twin-venue grand opening this Wednesday, Oct. 1.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has granted the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. (BGFI) a special permit to operate 101 food kiosks or booths and 30 corporate booths at the public plaza, from Oct. 1-19; 153 kiosks/booths and 30 food carts at the Bacolod Government Center (BGC) grounds, also for the 19-day festivity; 349 corporate kiosks and 64 food kiosks/booths, at Lacson Street, from Oct. 17-19; and spaces/carts rented for around 40 ambulant vendors along Araneta Street.
Fifty kiosks/booths will also be installed along Fr. M. Ferrero Street, with 25 of them provided for free to Manokan Country tenants temporarily operating at SM Bacolod’s parking hub, BGFI president Rodney Mitz Ascalon told the SP Sept. 24.
Ascalon said each corporate booth will be rented out for P50,000; P25,000 per kiosk/booth; P15,000 each food cart; and P2,500 per rented space for ambulant vendors at Araneta.
He assured SP members that the foundation will be very transparent in reporting its sources of funds and expenses.
Per the memorandum of agreement signed between the city government and BGFI, represented by Mayor Greg Gasataya and Ascalon, respectively, the foundation shall obtain and take charge of sponsor participation, take charge of the rental fees to be collected from festival vendors on approved areas/sites as well as the ticket sales on any event, account for the revenues it receives, and submit liquidation and fund utilization reports, including all necessary documents in support of the disbursement and/or expenditures of funds not later than 60 days after the end of the festival.
“Any revenue generated on behalf of the festival, including any pre-festival activities implemented by the BGFI should be accounted for, with 60 percent of the net profits…shall go to the foundation with the remaining revenue going to the city,” the MOA states.
Meanwhile, the dual-opening ceremony at 5 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the BGC grounds and public plaza will be headlined by Elias J. TV Band and Silent Sanctuary, and Repakol Band, respectively, the BGFI announced over the weekend.
“This is Happy MassKara in full force—a dual celebration across Bacolod, uniting thousands in music, joy, and the spirit of the City of Smiles,” it added. | CGC
