Mobile services out during MassKara
The festival’s highlights include the street dance competition, the electric MassKara float parade, and the masskara queen contest.
Daily TribuneThe festival’s highlights include the street dance competition, the electric MassKara float parade, and the masskara queen contest.
Cellular phone services in Bacolod City will be suspended during the 44th MassKara Festival this weekend, as requested by the Philippine National Police.
The National Telecommunications Commission said in a memorandum that the suspension will be in effect from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday for the MassKara Electrika Diva and Electric MassKara float parade and competition.
On Sunday, the suspension will be from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the MassKara Street Dance and Arena competition. The NTC said the suspension is necessary to ensure security and safety during the festival.
"There shall be no signal, direct and/or reflected, coming from any cell sites in the areas covered by the festivities," NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez said in the memorandum.
The MassKara Festival is one of the biggest and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. It is held annually in Bacolod City to celebrate the city's resilience and culture.
The festival's highlights include the street dance competition, the electric MassKara float parade, and the masskara queen contest.
In addition to the signal suspension, the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, the organizer of the MassKara Festival, said that roads at the festival site along the Lacson Tourism Strip have also been closed to vehicles for stage setup until Sunday.
"We are expecting huge crowds to patronize our major festival sites and we have activated our interagency partners to ensure peace and security as well as maintain cleanliness," Bacolod Yuhum Foundation president Katherine Matiling said.
In a statement, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez encouraged Bacolodnons to "immerse yourselves in the festival highlights and celebrate with the world."
"Let us revel in the beauty of our shared tradition, the rhythm of the street dances, and the kindred spirit that fills our air," he added.
Benitez said he is "filled with immense pride and joy to witness the vibrant spirit and enthusiasm that Bacolod has displayed throughout the celebration."
"This endeavor is more than just a festival; it is a reflection of our resilience, creativity, and unity as a community," he added.
