President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte are set to grace the culminating activities for this year's MassKara Festival in Bacolod City today, 23 October, to promote the revival of the local tourism industry in the midst of the easing pandemic restrictions.

The Office of the Press Secretary on Saturday said the country's top leaders' attendance at the world-renowned festivity "is a testament" to the administration's commitment to promoting local tourism.

Before the festival, Mr. Marcos is scheduled to attend the inauguration of The Upper East and the unveiling of the township marker in Bacolod City.

Mr. Marcos is optimistic that through the efforts and initiatives of the Department of Tourism, the Philippines will be able to restore its tourism figures to pre-pandemic levels creating more job opportunities and bringing economic progress.

First Lady Liza Araneta -Marcos and his sons are expected to join the festivities as well.

With its theme, "Balik Yuhum!" which means smile again, the Masskara Festival is back for its 43rd-year celebration after two years of being suspended due to the pandemic.

MassKara Festival began in 1980 following a series of sugar crises suffered by Bacolodnons and Negrenses, the OPS noted.

The crisis was caused by the oversupply of sugar in the international market, which caused world sugar prices to drop.

In a message on Friday, the President called on Filipinos to participate in the annual revelry and at the same time explore Bacolod, which is widely known as the "City of Smiles."

"This world-renowned festival was conceived to counter the despondency brought about by the challenges of the time. Today, as we find ourselves facing a similar dilemma, let this year's festivity resonate ever so deeply and find even greater meaning in its joyful observance," he said.

"May the vivid colors and smiles so common and abundant during the festivities serve as declarations of resilience, even as we tackle our deepest concerns and overcome our greatest hurdles, especially now that we are steadily gaining grounds on the difficult task of nation-building," he added.

The smiling colorful masks used in the MassKara Festival are a symbol of their resiliency and unity despite challenges and problems.

Promoting local tourist destinations is one of the priorities of the Marcos administration, believing that it is among the country's "high potential drivers for economic transformation."

Since Friday, the President's wife has been very much involved in the highlights of Bacolod City's month-long festival.

Throwing her full support to the much-anticipated festival, Mrs. Araneta-Marcos graced with her presence several charity and civic activities in line with the festival.