City Hall reporters not invited to MassKara Festival launch

Organizers of the MassKara Festival launched this year’s official logo and theme song and gathered supporters of the city’s biggest festivity for a Sponsors’ Night held at Stonehill Suites on Wednesday, August 23.

One thing was noticeable though. Not a single news reporter from any of the local news outlets in Bacolod City was there to cover the momentous event.

It was learned later that none from the mainstream media organizations were invited or received an invitation to the launch, not even those who regularly cover the City Hall or Government Center beat, whose assignments include reporting on the MassKara Festival.

Yves Montecillo, news reporter and anchorman at RMN DyHB and president of the Bacolod City Hall Press Corps, said he learned from fellow reporters that like him, none of them was also invited to cover the event.

“I hope that the organizer will realize that the media, in any event, is a valuable partner,” he told SunStar Bacolod.

Montecillo, who has been covering the MassKara Festival events for several years now, said the local media have been supportive of the major events in the city by giving this prominence in their news reports while also keeping their watchdog role in the community.

Other news reporters were puzzled why they were excluded from covering the event that was supposed to be presented by the city government, which is providing support to the festival organizing team, the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation led this year by its president Katherine Matiling.

Based on the Facebook post of the Bacolod City Tourism Office, the launch was attended by several city officials by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.

Seen in one of the photos were Benitez and Matiling leading the launching rites. Also present were Councilors Jason Villarosa, who chairs the committee on tourism, along with Councilors Israel Salanga, Em Ang, Cindy Rojas, Simplicia Distrito and Celia Flor as shown in the other photos.

According to the post of the Bacolod City Public Information Office, the 2023 MassKara Festival face logo was created by multi-media artist Myish Endonila.

At 9:55 p.m. on Tuesday, apparently after learning about the concerns raised by City Hall reporters, the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation issued an official statement.

The unedited version of the statement read: “Tonight’s event was a launch to the city council of the activities and sponsors night. We will have a media launch saturday noontime, venue will be announced friday. Thanks!”

To which a news reporter responded, “It will no longer be a launch since what happened has already been posted all over social media by those who attended the event.”

The 44th edition of the MassKara Festival will start on October 7, to be ushered in by the Salubong Countdown Program on October 6 at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds.

The City Tourism Office said the festival will feature thematic events, including sports activities, trade events, and cultural festivities.

The highlights will include the “Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra sa MassKara” on October 18; Miss Bacolod MassKara, October 19; MassKarade Gala Ball, October 20; Electric MassKara Float Competition, October 21; and MassKara Streetdance and Arena Competition and Closing Ceremony, October 22.*