BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. personally witnessed the highlights of the MassKara Festival yesterday.
He congratulated the city for holding possibly “the most successful” MassKara in the festival’s history.
The President noted the festival also symbolized the beginning of the country’s return to normalcy following two years of restrictions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19) pandemic.
“Ngayon na nararamdaman natin na ang pandemya ay nababawasan na, at alam na natin kung pano i-manage ang [COVID-19] ay nakakatuwa naman na nagkataon na magkasama na tayo ulit at ngayon ay hindi lamang para sa political cycle o para sa kampanya kung hindi para mag-celebrate, sumayaw, makinig sa magandang music at mag-enjoy sa City of Smiles,” Marcos said.
He also looked back at the festival’s history, which was born out of the tragedies brought by the sugar crisis in the 1980s, followed by the collision and subsequent sinking of the M/V Don Juan, which killed a lot of well-known Bacolodnons and Negrenses.
Despite that dark day for Bacolod City, Marcos lauded the resiliency of the city’s residents for creating the MassKara Festival.
“Nabuhay ang MassKara Festival sa kahirapan at sa kalungkutan, at sa pagbalik ng MassKara Festival ngayon…iniwanan na natin ang kahirapan at kalungkutan. Ipinakita ng mga taga-Bacolod na tayo ay bumalik na at masaya nanaman, at bumalik sa ating mga labi ang ating ngiti,” Marcos said.
The President trusts the current leadership of Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez to continue the programs and projects to further beautify and improve the lives of not just the city’s residents but also the entire country itself.
He particularly commended the city’s launch of the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BaCHP), which would give the residents the much-needed access to medical and hospital services.
Marcos also lauded the city’s upcoming launch of the Social Pension Fund for Senior Citizens, which he noted would be of great help to the elderlies.
“Ipakita ninyo dito sa pag-celebrate ng MassKara Festival na tayo dito sa Pilipinas ay nakabalik na, tayo ay handa nang bumalik sa trabaho, handa na bumalik sa eskwelahan, at tayo ay babalik na sa ating dating ginagawa na pagandahin at pataasin ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas para mas maging maginhawa ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” he added.
He further encouraged the Filipinos to learn from the Bacolodnons how to stand up to adversity./PN
