2011 MassKara Festival unveiled

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The official theme, logo, and website of the 2011 MassKara Festival were unveiled Wednesday at the Business Inn, while the orientation for street dance and Electric MassKara float parade competitions is set today (Friday).

This year's theme, "Celebrating the New Icons of Bacolod," gives emphasis on the new places and structures that have risen in the city in recent years, proving how far Bacolod go in progress and development, festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit said.

"This year's MassKara Festival will focus on these new icons-landmarks, structures, institutions, and even personalities—that have dramatically transformed Bacolod in recent years," he said.

Some of these new icons are the Bacolod City Government Center, the Pope John Paul II Tower, the SM City Bacolod, the East Block, The Chalet of L'Fisher Hotel, the Planta Hotel and the Art District, among others, Tajanlangit said.

The theme also supports the "Balik Bacolod" program of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, aimed at bringing balikbayans to Bacolod in October for the 32nd MassKara Festival.

Balik-Bacolod is essentially "a reunion of Bacoleños from all walks of life, brought together to celebrate the joys of life as one big community," Leonardia said.

Tajanlangit said this October is the best time for our balikbayans to come home, rediscover Bacolod and witness what has become of their city. "As we go back to the original meaning of the festival, we find that MassKara is a celebration of everything the Bacolod community has achieved," he said.

"Many of these reasons for celebration are the new landmarks in our midst. We may have ignored or overlooked them but they're here, and they're worth celebrating," said Tajanlangit.

The 2011 MassKara festival logo was designed by veteran Bacolod visual artist and fine arts professor Bamboo Tonogbanua who was also commissioned to design the trophies for all the official competitions of the festival.

Tonogbanua said the logo shows a spectrum of colors that the festival has been famous for, adding that it combines the glamorous but realistic portrayal of the mask, itself a symbol of the festival, and the vibrant colors of the MassKara Festival. The hair of the mask is illustrated like flowing ribbons to symbolize the lively and festive atmosphere of the festival, he said.

The headdress of the mask showed symbols of the new icons of Bacolod: the Bacolod City Government Center, the Blessed John Paul II Tower, and other rising business structures. Also in the headdress are the public plaza's bandstand, where the MassKara streetdancing competitions are held, and the Philippine flag, to symbolize patriotism.

The official website of the 2011 MassKara festival, www.themasskarafestival.com, was also unveiled and, starting today, this website will be updated regularly to inform Filipinos and tourists here and abroad of the exciting events leading to the official festival month of October.

The orientation for the streetdance and the Electric MassKara float parade competition will be held at the MassKara Hall 3 and 4 of the Bacolod Government Center, said Rudy Reveche, streetdance committee chairman, adding that representatives of each of the 61 barangays of the city are expected to attend. - THE FREEMAN