Bacolod’s MassKara joins NatGeo list of 12 festivals

Must-do things in October 

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The international magazine National Geographic has chosen this city’s MassKara Festival as one of the 12 must-do things in the world in October.

“Get happy,” the Travel Section of the magazine wrote, “Travel to Bacolod City, Philippines to dance in the streets wearing bright costumes and smiling masks at the MassKara Festival (October 1-21).”

NatGeo is the second international news organization to have endorsed the MassKara Festival. Earlier, CNN also chose the festival as “one of the 12 best things in the Philippines.”

The MassKara joins the NatGeo list that includes the Nuit Blanche or White Night Festival in Paris; the Festival of Lights in Berlin; the annual Apple Festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Melbourne Festival of Arts; the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival in New Mexico; and the Festival de Moie in Mexico.

The MassKara is one of only two Asian events that made it to the NatGeo list. The other is the Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival (Oct. 26-30) in northeastern Thailand.

“When a sugar-industry slump coincided with a tragedy at sea that claimed close to 700 lives, the community decided to hold a festival to demonstrate their solidarity and determination to rise above adversity. The tradition bore repeating and the celebration grows each year,” NatGeo said.

“Yet again, we have here a validation that our MassKara has joined the international tourism map,” Eli Tajanlangit, festival director for the last nine years, said.

As envisioned by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the MassKara is now an international event, he added.

Tajanlangit recalled that Leo-nardia directed them to reengineer the MassKara into a global festival when he appointed them as organizers nine years ago.