ALL police units in Western Visayas went on full alert for the arrival of President Rodrigo Duterte in Bacolod City during the closing of the 38th Masskara Festival at the public plaza on Sunday afternoon.
The Task Group MassKara has deployed 4,775 security forces to ensure peace and order across all festival sites this weekend.
Festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit said the President is expected to arrive between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., during which the arena dance competition will be suspended to give way for his speech.
“After his speech, the competition will resume and we expect the President to watch the MassKara street dance performers,” he said.
Around 10,000 people are expected to gather at the Bacolod public plaza for the arrival of Duterte.
“We are all ready and I feel very secure with the security plans. It is my 13th year now organizing the MassKara Festival and it is one of the best security plans I have experienced,” Tajanlangit said.
Street, arena dances
A day earlier, 11 schools will compete in the street and arena dance competitions at the Bacolod public plaza at 3 p.m.
Rudy Reveche, chairman of street dance committee, said the schools category is a partnership between the Silver MassKara Festival Organization and the Department of Education Division of Bacolod City.
The seven elementary school participants include Banago Elementary School, Bata Elementary School, Mabini Elementary School, Handumanan Elementary School, Luis Puentevella Elementary School, Education and Training Center School-I, and Mariano G. Medalla Integrated School.
The four secondary schools are Domingo Lacson National High School, Romanito Maravilla National High School, Bacolod City National High School, and Paglaum National High School.
There will be separate winners for the elementary and secondary schools categories.
The first place winners will receive, P70,000; second place, P50,000; third place, P30,000; and fourth place, P20,000.
Special awardees for best in concept, mask, costume and choreography will get P5,000 each.
In the barangay category, last year’s runners-up Tangub and Pahanocoy are leading the pack with Barangays Alijis, Mandalagan, Punta Taytay, 5, 7, 8, 15, 18, 26, 29, 39, and 40.
Barangay category winners will receive the following: champion, P100,000; first runner-up, P75,000; second runner-up, P50,000; third runner-up, P30,000; and fourth runner-up, P20,000.
Special awardees for best in concept, mask, costume, and choreography will be given P7,000 each.
Reveche said there will be three judges in the arena and four judges in the streets.
Meanwhile, 10 participants joined the Electric MassKara performing float competitions Friday night.
Reveche said the winners will perform again Saturday evening at Lacson Street.
Dancers in malls, hotels
Festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit said they will deploy MassKara dancers in various areas to entertain revelers who cannot join the celebration at the Bacolod public plaza on Sunday.
He said winners in elementary and high school categories will be deployed to SM City, City Mall in Barangay Mandalagan, Business Inn, and L’ Fisher Hotel.
“The Masskara dancers will be deployed in cooperation with the Department of Education to give chance to our visitors especially foreigners to have pictures with them,” Tajanlangit said.
He noted that since there will be security adjustment inside the public plaza because of the presence of the President, not all revelers can go inside the venue.
“To address this problem, we will have performances in various areas to discourage people from going to the plaza. Tourist can stay in their hotels and watch the performances," he added.