BACOLOD City — The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has ratified the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City Government of Bacolod and the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. (BGFI), clearing the way for the formal implementation of the MassKara Festival 2026.
The City Council ratified the agreement during its regular session on August 26, after the approval had been held for a week pending the submission of documents showing that BGFI had settled its obligations as last year’s MassKara organizer.
Mayor Greg Gasataya and BGFI president and MassKara director Rodney Mitz Ascalon signed the MOA on August 19 at the City Mayor’s Office at the Bacolod City Government Center.
The agreement required ratification by the City Council as part of the compliance process.
With the MOA now approved, the city government and BGFI can proceed with the full implementation of plans for this year’s MassKara Festival, which will feature cultural, entertainment and community-centered activities throughout October.
The ratification also formally authorizes BGFI to proceed with festival-related transactions and preparations for one of Bacolod’s biggest annual celebrations.
BGFI board director and head of legal affairs Atty. Hannah Lea Tañoso Dela Torre said the ratification formally confirms the city’s approval of the agreement and provides the institutional basis for its implementation, subject to existing laws, rules and government requirements.
Ascalon thanked Gasataya and the members of the City Council for their continued support and partnership with the foundation.
He said BGFI remains committed to making MassKara an inclusive celebration anchored on this year’s theme, “Share the Smile. Celebrate Gugma.”
Ascalon described MassKara as more than an annual festival, saying it provides an opportunity to bring Bacolodnons together, create meaningful experiences, and showcase the city’s warmth, unity and resilience.
The MOA covers the conduct of MassKara activities, including pre-festival events, promotions, screenings and major festival highlights. It also defines the respective responsibilities of the city government and BGFI in organizing and implementing the celebration.
Under the agreement, the city government will assist with permits, traffic management, road closures and security arrangements. BGFI, meanwhile, will oversee festival planning, sponsorships, promotions, staffing, vendor rentals, ticket sales and other event operations.
The agreement also requires the proper accounting of festival revenues and the submission of liquidation and fund utilization reports to promote transparency and accountability in the management of festival-related funds./PN
