BACOLOD City — The Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. (BGFI), organizer of this year’s MassKara Festival, officially presented on Friday, September 19, the participating schools and barangays for the highly anticipated street and arena dance competition.
The world-renowned MassKara Festival is celebrated annually through City Ordinance No. 09-17-820, enacted on May 24, 2017, which sets the festival’s highlights on the fourth Sunday of October.
For 2025, however, the highlights will take place earlier — on October 17, 18, and 19 —featuring the Electric MassKara, and school and barangay categories of the street and arena competition. The official festival opening is set for October 1.
During the media presentation, one dancer from each contingent performed to the signature MassKara music, giving a glimpse of the color and energy that awaited the city.
Seven elementary schools will compete in the school category: Don Rodolfo A. Medel Sr. Elementary School, Rizal Elementary School, Andres Bonifacio Elementary School II, Asuncion L. Lizares Elementary School, Estefania Elementary School, Education and Training Center School I, and Paglaum Village Elementary School.
Ten barangays will vie for the championship in the barangay category: Handumanan, 21, 39, Tangub, 6, 29, Bata, 13, 11, and 7.
Dr. Bhadz Defensor Jr., chairman of the arena and street dance competition, said this year’s performances will begin at the Paglaum Sports Complex before spilling onto the streets for the traditional parade. All groups will then converge at the Bacolod Public Plaza for the announcement of winners and a symbolic community dance.
Festival Director Rodney Ascalon explained that the format has been “flipped” this year to give both stages equal weight.
“Instead of starting on the streets and ending in the arena, we begin at the Paglaum Sports Complex where contingents showcase their full performances, then bring the same energy to the streets,” Ascalon said. “It allows both the judges and the public to experience the best of MassKara in two powerful stages of celebration.”
Preparations at the Paglaum Sports Complex are already underway with strong support from the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.
To back the contingents, the Bacolod City Government will provide subsidies of P750,000 for each barangay and P500,000 for each school, with liquidation required for transparency and accountability.
Winning groups will also take home major prizes: P750,000 for the school category champion and P1 million for the barangay category champion./PN
