A TOTAL of 11 schools, both elementary and secondary, in Bacolod City will compete in the schools' category of the 39th MassKara Festival Street and Arena Dance Competition at the public plaza today.
Rudy Reveche, chairman of Street Dance committee, said on Friday that the participants will assemble at Corner Lizares-Araneta Streets at 12 noon.
He said the street dance will start at 2 p.m. going to the Bacolod public plaza.
The participating schools are Education and Training Center School II, Sum-ag Elementary School, Abkasa Elementary School, Montevista Elementary School, Patricia Homes Elementary School, A.L. Jayme Elementary School, and Crispino V. Ramos Elementary School for the elementary level.
Barangay Singcang-Airport National High School, Mandalagan National High School, Bacolod City National High School, Mansilingan Agro National High School for the secondary level.
Reveche said the event will be graced by President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte- Carpio so there will be security adjustments inside the public plaza.
The President’s daughter will arrive at the public plaza at 3:30 p.m. while her father at 5 p.m.
Only the President, his daughter, and Mayor Evelio Leonardia will be on stage while the other guests and officials will stay in the designated areas inside the public plaza.
“As soon as he (President Duterte) arrives at the public plaza, he will introduce by Mayor Leonardia then, he will watch one group performance after which he will deliver his message then he will leave the area,” Reveche said.
Reveche noted that there will be no interruption on the performance of the participants during the arrival of the President.
“We are confident that all of our school participants have beautiful costumes and ready for their performances with the presence of our President and other guests,” Reveche said.
He said the elementary participants will be the first to perform followed by the high school.
The winners for elementary and high schools categories will be announced after their performances. There will be four winners in each category and will receive cash and trophy.
The trophies were designed by various visual artists in Bacolod City.
The street dance schools category is in partnership between Silver MassKara Festival Organization and the Department of Education—Division of Bacolod City.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the closing highlights of the Festival, there will be 14 barangays that will compete for the barangay street dance category
Reveche said the winners will be announced after their performances at the public plaza.
He said that after the fireworks competition at the Government Center, they will also announce the winner between the two groups of the inmates from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), who earlier performed inside the jail compound in Barangays Handumanan and Singcang-Airport.
After the MassKara Festival, Bacolod First Lady Elsa Leonardia is proposing to conduct trainings or seminars for the inmates on how to enhance their costumes and choreography inside the jail.
“We will help them to improve their costumes and choreography because it’s a big help for them, they can perform if they have a visitors inside the jail compound,” Reveche said.