Bacolod City – To help ensure tightened security at the 45th MassKara Festival, the Philippine National Police will deploy 1,828 police personnel, with an augmentation force to come from Police Regional Office 6, PLt. Col. Romeo Vargas, Operations chief of the Bacolod City Police Office disclosed recently.
During a press briefing by the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, Vargas said the request for augmentation forces was already endorsed by the BCPO to Police Regional Office 6.
The BCPO is proposing a gun ban during the entire duration of MassKara Festival, which will run from October 1 to 28, which was already approved by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, as reported by Atty. Joseph Chiu, the secretary to the mayor, and endorsed to the PRO 6.
Vargas said the implementation of the gun ban will be approved by Camp Crame.
The implementation of signal jamming was also discussed during the press briefing, although they have yet to come up to a decision, as authorities are still weighing the benefits and drawbacks of the added security protocol.
Vargas said they will also tap the services of barangay tanods and other force multipliers to augment in ensuring the smooth flow of traffic and other related activities.
The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation (BYF) also reported a significant increase in sponsorships for this year’s MassKara Festival,as more than 80 companies have pledged their support to bring a grander celebration.
Katherine Matiling, president and Festival Director for Finance, Admin, Concerts, Events and Fair, disclosed that the growing number of sponsors is a testament of the festival’s reputation as a world-class event.
“It has become bigger and larger each year, because of its exposure to international events and the participation of popular artists,” Matiling said.
Sponsors of the 2023 MassKara Festival peaked at more than 50, the BYF added.
More than 30 local artists including Cueshe, RKSTDY, TJ Monterde, Brownman Revival, Shamrock, and celebrities are expected to take part and perform at various event sites throughout the MassKara Festival, from the kick-off salubong on October 11 to the closing celebration on the 27th.
Ten Bacolod City barangays will be competing in the MassKara dance parade and arena competition, to be held at the Paglaum Stadium. Each barangay will get a subsidy of P700,000 each from the city government, while a P1 million prize awaits the grand winner.
Ten barangays are also participating in the Electric MassKara, where each of them will also get a P300,000 subsidy, according to the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star)