• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Property giant Megaworld will soon open its newest landmark and public space in Bacolod City – Plaza de Masskara – a 4,100-square-meter curated park within its 34-hectare The Upper East township.
“Inspired by our world-renowned (Bacolod MassKara) festival, Plaza de Masskara is designed as a destination for celebrations, cultural performances, art installations, weekend markets, and community gatherings,” Harold Geronimo, Megaworld first vice president, said during the media sneak peek June 29.
It is a place where both locals and visitors can experience Bacolod’s colorful heritage every day of the year, not just during the festival season, he added. “This is how tourism grows, by creating spaces that offer meaningful experiences all year round.”
The expansive open park will serve as a destination for celebrations, culture, and community life as it hosts some of the city’s signature festivities in the township, including the MassKara Festival and the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival, Megaworld said in a press release.
The plaza also serves as an extended amenity for the township’s residents, office workers, visitors, and tourists, allowing people the opportunity to gather, dine, unwind, or simply enjoy the outdoors amid beautifully curated open spaces.
Dotted with benches and tables to allow people to converge, Plaza de Masskara also features areas for leisure and relaxation, highlighted by five-meter-wide al fresco promenades on each side, lined with palm trees, to create shaded pedestrian corridors.
This will encourage walkability while seamlessly connecting surrounding developments, including restaurants, cafés, and retail spaces, as well as restrooms for male, female, and people with disabilities (PWDs), the company said.
A prominent design of the plaza is a compass at the center, showcasing the North and East directional markers that highlight the origins of the township’s name, “The Upper East”.
Another feature is the huge “Plaza de Masskara” signage, adorned with images of the iconic MassKara dancer, while across this signage are two giant chessboards with movable pieces so visitors can play and interact with the entire space.
Geronimo said the plaza will be complemented by the iconic Reina de Masskara, a 16-foot Masskara Queen art sculpture that will be installed on the podium façade of the soon-to-open The Kingsford fronting the park.
“Here in The Upper East, we are curating a plaza that does more than providing just an open space. It strengthens Bacolod’s tourism identity by celebrating the icon that has defined the city for many decades, the MassKara Festival,” he added.
Surrounding the plaza are office towers No. 1 Upper East Avenue and No. 5 Upper East Avenue; themed residential condominiums, the 12-story One Regis and the 14-story Two Regis; and the township’s main artery, Upper East Avenue.
“Plaza de Masskara was created with one clear intention – to further boost cultural tourism in Bacolod,” Geronimo stressed. “This plaza is Megaworld’s commitment to building places that invite people to explore, take photos, enjoy the architecture, and experience the city’s arts, culture, and heritage in a modern, accessible, and beautifully-curated setting.”
With Plaza de Masskara, Megaworld further strengthens its vision for The Upper East as Bacolod’s new and modern central business district – one that not only introduces world-class residences, offices, hotels, and commercial establishments, but also creates public spaces that support tourism and celebrate the city’s colorful heritage, vibrant culture, and welcoming spirit, the company said. | CGC
