• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Security forces and the Bacolod Gugma Foundation are all set for the three-day highlight events of the MassKara Festival 2026.
Streetdance and arena director Nestor Guilaran said Oct. 15 that the new arena venue at SM City Bacolod along Rizal Street is ready to accommodate over 2,000 spectators through a first-come, first-served basis for the grand streetdance and arena competition, school and barangay categories on Oct. 17-18, respectively.
Guilaran said the recent minor flooding at the reclamation area subsided quickly and posed no threat to the upcoming festivities at the new location.
The event will kick off each day with a street dance parade at 1 p.m., leading to the main performances between SM City Bacolod’s bridgeways at 2 p.m.
Eleven school contingents will take the stage tomorrow, followed by eight competing barangays on Oct. 18, before culminating in the grand awarding ceremony at the Bacolod public plaza.
Meanwhile, to ensure public safety during the ongoing MassKara Festival, multi-agency units, led by the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and the Bureau of Fire Protection-Bacolod, held a simulation exercise for a bombing scenario at the public plaza.
Site Security Task Group commander, P/Lt. Col. Albart Tare, said the simulation is a test coordination and aims to strengthen proper response protocols in such emergencies.
He noted that the BCPO is 100 percent prepared for the festival highlights and urged the public to cooperate with the police force to ensure a peaceful celebration.
A total of 3,258 security forces are deployed throughout the 18-day duration of the 47th MassKara Festival celebration. | TMD
