BACOLOD City – For the 45th MassKara Festival, the city government is strictly enforcing City Ordinances No. 358 (2004) and No. 450 (2007) to ensure public safety and security during the festivities.
The measures are part of Executive Order No. 054, issued by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
City Ordinance No. 358 prohibits the carrying of deadly weapons or similar items outside of residences or workplaces, while Ordinance No. 450, which amended an earlier regulation, forbids the sale of liquor or intoxicating beverages to individuals under 18 years old, with penalties for violations.
Mayor Benitez emphasized that a significant number of local and international tourists are expected to attend the festival, which requires heightened safety protocols.
To manage the event’s security and ensure its orderly conduct, the mayor also issued Executive Order No. 53, creating a Coordinating Committee for Security, Peace, and Order Concerns for MassKara Festival 2024.
Executive Order No. 054, effective October 11, outlines additional prohibitions within festival sites, including:
* pointed objects like barbeque sticks and bladed weapons, except for culinary use by kiosk chefs.
* backpacks
* carrying bottled soft drinks or alcoholic drinks while moving around the festival grounds
* pranks or jokes that could cause panic or stampedes
* unauthorized firecracker lighting
* littering
The sale and consumption of liquor will be allowed only until 3 a.m. within the festival area, and vendors are reminded that selling alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under Ordinance No. 450. Security personnel will conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance.
These regulations apply to all businesses operating within the festival sites, including food stalls and retail vendors, as well as festivalgoers. Non-compliance by stall owners could result in the revocation of their special permits, issued through the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc./PN
