‘AN ENCOURAGING MESSAGE OF UNITY’
Star-studded Masskarade Ball at SM City Bacolod raises P100,000 for charity
THINK that this festival should not be overlooked nor should it be played down. This is clearly an indication that not only is Bacolod City under the leadership of Mayor Albee Benitez destined for bigger and greater things, not because Masskara is now up and running again, Bacolod opening up to the rest of the country only shows that the Philippines is opening up again after Covid-19 [pandemic].”
This was the message conveyed by Presidential son and Ilocos Norte First District Rep. Sandro Marcos during the Masskarade Ball at the SMX Convention Center in SM City Bacolod Friday night, October 21.
Marcos, who was with her mother First Lady Atty. Mary Louise “Liza” Araneta-marcos and brother, William Vincent “Vinny” Marcos, said “it is a very heartwarming and encouraging one.”
“With regards to that, we would like to thank all of you in playing and in taking up the role that our President has asked of our people and that is one encouraging message of unity, encouraging a message that requires all of us to work together and be partners in progress,” he added.
Marcos also expressed his gratitude for the hospitality of the people of Bacolod. “I wish all you over the
weekend a happy Masskara Festival,” he said.
For his part, Benitez said he is thankful to the First Lady for accepting the invitation to be part of the city’s festival celebration.
“It’s been a great pride that you are here today and it makes the festival even more successful,” he said.
The mayor noted that Masskara Festival was celebrated in 1980’s when Negros Occidental experiencing economic depression.
On April 22, 1980, the MV Don Juan, a luxury liner on its way back to Bacolod City from Manila, collided with an oil tanker, MT Tacloban, off Tablas Strait in Mindoro, leaving 176 dead and several others missing. It was, thus, a dark period for the local people.
Benitez said to cover for the misery and grievance of the people of Negros, they created a mask to hide the sad faces of Bacolodnons, they created a mask with smiling faces and that became the birth of Masskara Festival.
“And today after 40 years, we are celebrating it with a bigger, and celebrating it with much funfair. It is now transformed to a misery, to a reminder of parties and enjoyment. The theme is really more of a mardi gras type of festival,” he said.
The mayor stressed that it would be appropriate for Bacolodnons to call this Masskara event “Balik Yuhom” (Smile Again) because for two years the city did not celebrate the Masskara Festival.
“For obvious reasons, we would like to bring the smile back to Bacolod City that is why we called it the Balik Yuhom Masskara Festival,” Benitez said.
In terms of the economic recovery, he said, this Masskara Festival, most of the hotels have doubled their price and in spite of that, still had a 100 percent occupancy rate.
The Masskarade Ball is a charity event that benefits about 70 “Operation Smile” children-patients, specifically
those with cleft deformities. The organizer, Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, announced that the ball has gathered P100,000 in proceeds.*
The ball was a star-studded event as aside from big names from the world of politics and society, it was also graced by some big celebrities that provided much luster to the festival. These included Derek Ramsay, Ellen Adarna, Pops Fernandez, Korina Sanchez-roxas, Vicki Belo, Hayden Kho, Tessa-prieto Valdes, and Sue Ramirez, among others.
Also present at the event, Megaworld taipan Kevin Tan and wife Michelle, Yanson matriarch Olivia V. Yanson, among other business personalities, philanthropists and high society staples, along with some government officials in Negros Occidental.*