BACOLOD City – With the MassKara Festival fast approaching, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has approved the accreditation of Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. (BGFI), the group chosen to organize this year’s celebration in October.
The motion for BGFI’s accreditation was proposed by Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the SP committee on laws, ordinances, and good government, during the council’s regular session on July 24. The motion was unanimously approved.
In a media interview, Espino confirmed that Mayor Greg Gasataya selected BGFI to spearhead the 2025 edition of the city’s world-renowned festival.
“Ginhatagan sila naton sang accreditation. By next week, we expect the City Mayor’s Office to forward to the SP a request for authority to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the city and the foundation,” Espino said.
He added that on July 23, BGFI representatives, led by Rodney Mitz Ascalon, foundation president and newly appointed festival director, presented their plans for the upcoming celebration.
During the meeting, Espino emphasized that unlike other local festivals, the city government does not fund the festival directly.
“The city’s role is limited to subsidizing participating barangays in the street and arena dance competition and the Electric MassKara, but not the overall festival,” he explained.
Espino also noted that MassKara has grown significantly over the years and can now sustain itself through sponsorships, highlighting its increasing popularity and economic potential.
For his part, Ascalon shared that the word “gugma” in the foundation’s name represents more than love.
“It’s a service. It’s a sacrifice. It’s giving without asking for anything in return. That’s what this foundation stands for — and that’s what this year’s MassKara will reflect,” he said.
In previous years, the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc. (BYFI) handled the festival, particularly during the administration of then Mayor and now Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
The word MassKara combines “mass” (meaning “many”) and “kara” (a local term for “face”), symbolizing a festival of many faces.
The celebration has been institutionalized through City Ordinance No. 09-17-820, enacted on May 24, 2017, which sets the fourth Sunday of October as the permanent date for the festival’s highlights. This ensures a consistent schedule to help attract tourists and avoid confusion for visitors./PN
