THE 20-day Masskara Festival (or even more) is good attraction, good business, good promotion, good buy, and goodbye. We all remembered that the festival is not only in Bacolod. The Silay airport porters, the taxi drivers and the coffee shops really felt the festival upon touchdown of the planes. I personally saw that the 20-flight a day brought people from all walks of life to Negros Occidental… businessmen, politicians, movie-TV personalities, and habitués.
Thru the Masskara Festival, the Smile City is able to prove that there could be fun here. The big malls (operated by Manila-based tycoons) are raking millions because of their left and right all kinds of sale. Bacolod ‘chicken inasal’ becomes the center stage. Any food, lucrative and otherwise, help in the promotion of the festival. Vendors and peddlers benefited from the big crowd. Hotels, pension houses, and even short-time paradises bag the bills. The beer and soft drink companies flooded all corners with their products.
The communication companies have their own battle just like the big TV networks that sent their crew and hosts here not only to cover Masskara dances but also the heritage houses and delicacies of Silay, Fresh Start Organic Farm of Chin-Chin Uy, shoreline restaurants in Balaring, sea ranching in Sagay, the bats of Mambukal, and the night of fortune at Golden Field Commercial Complex. Even dried fish vendors and ‘pasalubong outlets’ got them all. The policemen in their precincts have also some kind of a competition on how to maintain peace and order. All incidents are recorded in the blotter report or else. Have you received your allowances already?
Mayor Monico was happy because some changes he made in the Masskara landscape somehow gained admiration. Mayor Bing could be happy also because this Masskara Festival was his baby also, not just the New Government Center. All public officials made their own show following their own style. I was with Councilor Jocelle Batapa and Provincial Tourism Officer Cristine Mansinares when we conceptualized how Pinoy Explorer of Aga Muhlach would cover Silay, Sagay and Bacolod. I met also former Mayor Joy Valdez at the airport for some concerns.
GMA’s ‘Let’s Fiesta’ with hosts, Aldin and John, covered the Bacolod events and shoot food fiesta at Brgy.Balaring shoreline restaurants and some ancestral houses in Silay. The DOT-commissioned staff was also here to prepare MTV for DOT-6. Masskara Festival is not only for Bacolod. It is also for the Sugarlandia. Masskara is more fun. Can we sustain the fun 365 days a year? Why not?
Masskara in Bacolod is good publicity as seen in the tri media (radio, TV, print). Those who have not been here during the event will be curious to visit Bacolod in November or in December. Where can they see Masskara dances? Where can they hear Masskara music? Is there a day and a time in November where visitors can feel the Masskara mood? Do we have a repeat performance for the colorful electric Masskara and the fantasy parade? When visitors shop in our malls, are the sales ladies wearing the Masskara? Masskara is good but can we sustain what is good?
We do not want to end Masskara with a sweet goodbye. Masskara to be a part of Negros tourism must be sustained. Bacolod Tourism Office and the foundation tasked for the survival and sustainability of Masskara should come up with a good plan, just like what Stallone and Schwarzenegger did in their movie. Tourism Officer Butch Gerasmo of Bacolod is the president of the Association of Tourism Officers of Negros Occidental (ATONO). We want to help Masskara survive for 365 days a year. We know that Mayor Monico has good plans ahead.
Masskara is already an integral part of Bacolod culture. (I know that many will have high eyebrows for this). Bacolodnons should prove that behind the smiling masks are also smiling faces. Bacolod leaders and residents should strive for more unity, more opportunity, good political relationship, and we should recognize that God is God. He does not wear a mask. He knows where our garbage is.