Pahanocoy is champion anew in MassKara dance parade
By Christine Mae Pelayo
October 21, 2002

BARANGAY Pahanocoy remained unbeatable as they danced their way to victory for the third time in Sunday's Masskara Street Dance Competition.

"Prayer, discipline and cooperation of barangay officials and the dancers made us champions," said Panoy Cabalcar, who have been the group's choreographer since 2000.

Cabalcar, however, failed to retain his Best Choregrapher award.

The group's effort during the month-long practice is worth it all, Barangay Pahanocoy Chairman Elmo Olivar said.

Barangay Pahanocoy, primarily sponsored by Visayan Maritime Academy, spent almost half a million pesos for the dance parade competition.

Their victory was apparent from the start as they got the loudest applause from the audience at the jampacked Paglaum Sports Complex.

Aside from the championship trophy and P125,000 cash, they also bagged the Best in Costume and Best in Mask and Headdress awards with P10,000 cash prize, respectively.

They were clad in silk pants and halter top - fuschia for the females and royal blue for the males - and yellow rubber shoes.

They also wore colorful Indian-style sequined and beaded masks.

As in last year, Barangay Taculing also placed second taking home P100,000 cash prize.

Third place went to Barangay 14 with P75,000 cash prize and the coveted Best Choreographer award for their trainor, Glen Recaido, who won P10,000.

Other participating barangays were Vista Alegre, Punta Taytay, Alangilan, Villamonte, Tangub, 2, 26 and 23, 27, 29, 30, 31 and 38.

MassKara pageant controversy refuses to die down
By Christine Mae Pelayo
October 17, 2002

THE controversy hounding the MassKara Queen pageant refuses to die down as reports on the alleged bribery of a candidate who re-joined the search surfaced Wednesday.

Clarice Ploteña, one of the four candidates who had earlier quit, belied reports she was offered a certain amount by the organizers to convince her to return.

"I returned for the sake of the city and for my father," Ploteña told Sun.Star Bacolod.

"I have my reasons. I don't want to disappoint my father because he sent my gown all the way from Manila," she said.

Gerry Mapa, an official of pageant organizer Jaunts and Journeys Travel, said Ploteña called them up to tell them that she decided to come back.

She signed a contract together with her mother. She did not receive anything from us, Mapa said.

"We don't have plans to confront whoever is spreading the malicious rumor. It is an insult to Ploteña since her intention is clean," he said.

Even if the organizers already closed their doors to the four candidates who quit last Friday, pageant director Edu Pillora accepted Ploteña.

Those who quit for good are Deborah Rose Oca, Gwynnyth Gonzales and Janis Diane Koch.

Baciba will host bowling tournament (sports)

THE Bacolod City Bowlers Association under the supervision of Ma. Lourdes "Tata" Banzon will host the 2002 Masskara National Invitational Bowling Tournament on October 18 to 20 at Top's Millennium Plaza Bowling Lanes.

The tournament will showcase an eight-game kicking the top four teams in each division will play on "up the ladder system.

In the men's division, the champion will bring home P25,000 and P15,000, P9,000 and P5,000 for the first, second and third place, respectively. The champion for the women's division will receive P20,000 while the first, second and third place will get P10,000, P6,000 and P4,000, respectively. Other special prizes are the team which have a highest point which will receive P500, highest single is P 500 and highest team score will receive P1000. Special prizes will be given to both men and women division.

Prizes for the champion shall increase to P30,000 for men and P25,000 for women if in case the total number of teams will reach to 40 teams.

This year's tournament is powered by Sharp Philippines Corp., National Panasonic, LG Collins, Phillips and Samsung.

Cebuanos top MassKara cycling tilt
October 16, 2002

FIVE Cebuano cyclists outmanuevered their rivals in the 129-cast MassKara Cycling Racing Challenge, which fired off on Oct. 13 and covered some 170-kms. from Bacolod to Sagay City and vice-versa.

Giovanni Delica went home P10,000 richer plus Rexona gift packs after garnering the crown of the competition jointly backed by the city government, Radio Mindanao Network and Rexona.

Ronnie Manaay of Ilolo City checked in at second place, plus P8,000, trophy and giftpacks.

But the Cebuanos pedaled their way to enter the Top 10 racers courtesy of Robert Villaber, Nilo Barbaluse, Antonio Negria, and Bionico Pagnanawon. The fifth to tenth place received P1,000 and Rexona gift packs.

Bacoleño Ronnie Mahinay snared third place, with P6,000; while other local bets, Nonoy Ravello, fourth, P2,000; Rolando Severino, sixth, P1,000; and Gerald Oquias, ninth slot with P1,000.

One-legged triathlete Rudy Fernandez of WIT-Iloilo City was handed the "Undying Spirit" citation, plus P300 while Villaber was proclaimed the "Eagle of the Mountain," along with P500 and gift packs. Named "Sprint King" was Ravello who received P500 and giftpacks.

The other 15 survivors were likewise given awards and they are Termo Caborte, Jose Samorin, Noel Salvador, Jun-Jun Paje, Nelson Asupan, Rene Severino, Bayani Prasa, Kimberly Ampitan, Marciano Solinap, Roque Iskultura, Albert Sedano, Ronald Seperiano, Jeremiah Lizardo, Clemente Chua, and Ruben Imbon. They received P300 and gift packs each.

Controvery rocks MassKara pageant
By Christine Mae Pelayo
October 12, 2002

FIVE candidates of the Masskara Queen 2002 quit the pageant Friday as the prestigious beauty contest was rocked with controversy over the organizers alleged favoritism.

The candidates are Gwynnyth Gonzales, Janis Koch, Clarice Plotea, Rona Mae Billote and Deborah Rose Oca.

In a meeting Friday, the five candidates, along with their mothers, claimed the pageant organizer, Jaunts and Journeys Travel, treated them unfairly when they allowed a candidate to go out on a date with one of the pageant's sponsors.

She did that even if is stated in their contracts that they should not engage in scandalous or malicious acts, they said.

Violation of such provision is a ground for disqualification.

They added that some candidates and their coordinators claimed that they heard Frederick Pe, owner of Jaunts and Journeys, said that the organizers have already chosen the top three finalists.

We're no longer assured that the pageant's results will be fair, the mothers said.

Oca's mother, Antonina, said she tried to reach Pe for clarification but he was always unavailable.

"It is not about winning; it is all about fair treatment.
Our children are all willing to join the pageant but how can they compete for the crown when the organizers already have their bets," she said.

Oca's daughter, Ma. Vina Claudette, was the Masskara Queen in 1992.

BREACH OF CONTRACT

Gerry Mapa, one of the pageant officials, denied the allegations that they have favored candidates.

He said the candidates cannot quit as they signed contracts that they would participate in all the pageant's activities until the pageant night on Oct. 18 at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos Gymnasium.

Their action may pose legal implications. They could be charged for breach of contract, he said.

Mapa also denied that 20 percent of the general criteria will be scored by the organizers.

"It is just a misunderstanding between us and the candidates. These are all speculations. There's no proof to their allegations," he said.

His statement was echoed by pageant director Edu Pillora, who said that the candidates are treated fairly.

The Masskara Queen pageant, which started in the early '80s, produced national beauty titlists such as Jewel May Lobaton, Masskara Queen 1993, who was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1998 and eventually competed in the Miss Universe pageant in Hawaii.

Carmela Arcolas-Gamboa, who was crowned in 1995, is the reigning Miss Philippines Centennial.

Mapa held a closed-door meeting with the candidates, along with Ma. Asuncion "Girlie" Belzunce, MassKara Foundation Inc. festival director, to discuss possible solutions to the controversy.

Plotea's mother, Mayh, however, said it is too late for the organizers to settle the matter.

But the elder Oca said that they are not against the MassKara Foundation Inc.

"In fairness to the foundation, I think they don't know what happened. We respect them so much," she said.

City Council defers anew approval of MassKara aid to brgys.
By Christine Mae Pelayo
October 4, 2002

THE City Council deferred anew the approval of Mayor Luzviminda Valdez' request for financial assistance to the barangays participating in the MassKara Dance Parade.

Valdez requested for a P2 million appropriation from her August and September Pagcor funds.

Councilor Pepito Malapitan said the City Council still wants the mayor to clarify some of the items on her request.

Malapitan said the request will be discussed in Thursday's session.

Councilors Greg Gasataya and Lyndon Caña have already agreed to support the mayor's request.

Gasataya echoed the sentiments of the barangay officials that the city should give them financial support as the festival should showcase the city's culture.

The city's image will suffer if the festival will not succeed just because the barangays were not given financial support, he said.

Gasataya, however, defended his colleagues who opposed the approval of the mayor's request.

They do not exactly oppose it; they just wanted clarifications on some of the items, he said.

Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia said Ca¤a suggested that each barangay be given half of the mayor's proposed P80,000 assistance.

First paddled banca race up on MassKara
October 1, 2002

THIS year's MassKara Festival will feature for the first time, the MassKara Paddled Banca Race or Bancathon on Oct. 17.

The race starts at 7 a.m. The event is open to all Bacolod residents, particularly those living along the coastline barangays.

Participants must be 18 years old and above. They should secure a barangay clearance signed by their respective barangay captains.

There will be three categories: One-man paddle, two-man paddle, and four-man paddle. The 6-km bancathon race will start from Barangay Punta Taytay to the finish line at the Reclamation Area. Chairmen of the event are village heads Rufino Alcala of Barangay Punta Taytay; Elmo Olivar of Barangay Pahanocoy; and Rudy Montao of Barangay Tangub.

Big prizes are up for grabs for the top winners.

Application forms are available at the MassKara Office, located at the Bacolod Tourism Office at San Juan St. Deadline of submission of entries will be on Oct. 10. Interested parties may contact the organizers at tel. nos. 432-1996 and 432-1997.

MassKara Festival gets support from firms
By Christine Mae Pelayo
September 19, 2002

BIG companies have pledged support for this year's 23rd Masskara Festival celebration next month.

MassKara's marketing appeal is really good so we don't really have a problem, said Bambi Borromeo, the festival's marketing consultant.

In a press conference at the L'Fisher Hotel Wednesday, Borromeo said major telecommunication firms - Smart and Globe - are among the festival's major sponsors.

Popular cellphone brand, Nokia, is also supporting the festival.

"Smaller companies are also knocking on our doors. They also want to sponsor the festival," he said.

Moreover, Ma. Asuncion "Girlie" Belzunce, vice president of MassKara Foundation Inc., said the foundation will launch the MassKara Performing Artists of Bacolod, a group of 20 dancers dressed in extravagant Mardi Gras costumes.

We want to professionalize the MassKara Dance Parade this way, she said.

City to grant brgys P80T for dance parade
By Christine Mae Pelayo

THE CITY Government will release an P80,000 as financial assistance to each of the 16 barangays participating in the MassKara Dance Parade.

Mayor Luzviminda Valdez said the amount will be taken from her discretionary fund under the city's Pagcor funds.

The City Government provides assistance to the barangays every year.

Aside from the P80,000, the city will also provide P10,000 to each barangay joining the Arko sa Barangay competition.

Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia, however, said the mayor's P500,000 discretionary fund is not sufficient to support the participating barangays.