Saturday, September 27, 2008 Arroyo to open 29th Masskara Festival
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will officially declare the Masskara Festival festivities open at the New Government Center (NGC) instead of at the public plaza as initially reported.
This is the first time in the 29 years of the Masskara Festival that the country’s chief executive will grace the opening of the festivities. For this reason, the City Government decided to transfer the venue to the NGC, as the edifice is also a first in the city of Bacolod.
The construction of the new City Hall has been the dream of many mayors before Mayor Evelio Leonardia – and after 50 years, a new government center for Bacolod has finally been realized under his administration.
Arroyo is expected to deliver a speech before she formally declares the festival open. The theme for this year’s Masskara is “Bacolod, City of the World”.
Meanwhile, 10 Masskara street dancers from Barangay Alijis will represent Bacolod City in the Andong International Folk Art and Mask Dance Festival 2008 on Friday at Andong City in South Korea.
Barangay Alijis was the champion in the Masskara street dancing competition in last year’s celebration. They will represent the city and the country in the festival on the invitation of Andong. The XIIth (12th) Andong International Folk Art and Mask Dance Festival invites only the best folk ensembles from around the world.
Around 50 embassies of other countries and 30 local Korean city mayors participate in the opening of the Andong Festival every year. It is also estimated that almost one million people watch the festival’s performances on TV.
Leonardia along with senior tourism officer Butch Gerasmo and Permits and Licensing head Ardis Jaculina will accompany the dancers to Andong City. Leonardia will be in Andong in relation to a sister-city relationship between Bacolod and the South Korean city.
Andong is a 3,000-year-old city with a rich culture and history in Southern Korea. It is the center of Korean culture as well as science and national monuments and is considered the capital of folk art for people who appreciate tradition.
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