BACOLOD City — Despite the upcoming change in local administration this June, the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc. (BYFI) will continue to serve as the official organizer of the MassKara Festival 2025.
Councilor Jason Villarosa, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on tourism, confirmed on May 27 that BYFI will again take the lead in organizing the city’s biggest annual celebration, scheduled for October.
This marks the third consecutive year that BYFI will manage the festival, having taken on the role in 2022, the same year incumbent Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez assumed office as the city’s chief executive.
Mayor Benitez, who was elected as the lone district representative of Bacolod in the May 2025 midterm elections, will be stepping down after serving only one term. His running mate, current Congressman and Mayor-elect Greg Gasataya, will take over the mayoralty by noon on June 30.
In past administrations, it has often been the case that changes in local leadership resulted in a new organizer for the MassKara Festival. However, Villarosa said that Mayor Benitez and Gasataya have already discussed the continuity of BYFI’s role in this year’s festivities.
Still, the councilor noted that BYFI has yet to receive formal approval from the SP because they need to secure the necessary permits and licenses first before officially organizing the 2025 edition of the festival.
Earlier this year, due to adverse weather conditions that affected the 2024 festival highlights, the SP amended City Ordinance (CO) No. 09-17-820 (dated May 24, 2017), which originally set the festival highlights on the fourth Sunday of October. The amendment now designates the third Sunday of October as the permanent schedule for the MassKara Festival highlights.
The MassKara Festival is a vibrant annual celebration that features colorful masks, energetic street dancing, and upbeat music — symbolizing the spirit of resilience and optimism among Bacolodnons.
The term MassKara is derived from the words “mass” (meaning many) and “kara” (meaning face), thus “a festival of many faces.” It is also the reason Bacolod earned the nickname “City of Smiles”, highlighting how Bacolodnons continue to smile and stay hopeful even in the face of adversity./PN
