The Department of Tourism (DOT) celebrated the MassKara Festival along with thousands of Bacolodnons.
Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco was greeted with bright smiles and faces at the Paglaum Sports Complex Oct. 19, during the culminating highlight of the 46th year of celebrating courage, resilience, and joy through the world-famous MassKara Festival, the DOT said in a statement.
In her keynote address to Bacolodnons and tourists, Frasco highlighted that the festival is not only a celebration of beauty but is also a testament to the city and its people’s capacity to rise above uncertainties.
“The story of MassKara reminds the world that amidst hardship, there is hope. Here in Bacolod, you have turned challenges into celebration, and despair into determination. And that is why everyone that comes to Bacolod, including myself, feels the spirit that makes this truly the City of Smiles: Vibrant, creative, and full of hope,” she stressed.
For over four decades, the MassKara Festival has transformed Bacolod into a colorful display of festivities and creativity, providing a gateway for tourists to explore the rest of the city’s attractions, including its unique local gastronomy, art scene, and historical sites.
“As we cheer for our MassKara performers, let us celebrate not just the beauty of the masks, but the strength of all the people of Bacolod: malipayon, malaumon, kag madaugon sa tanan nga panahon (happy, hopeful, and victorious at all times),” Frasco added. ||
