BACOLOD, Philippines - It was my first time to experience the October MassKara festival in Bacolod City. I should say the local folks really know how to celebrate the event infun, extravagance and uniqueness.

The MassKara festival came about in 1980. It was the time of crisis and sorrow for the Bacolenos (local folks of Bacolod) as sugar, the main product of the province, was at its lowest price. Worst, the sinking of the local passenger vessel M/V Don Juan where some 700 lives mostly from Bacolod were killed aggravated the situation. It was the worst time of the year. To cope, the city created the festival of smiles to pull residents away from despair.

28 years later, the trace of the city’s sad history is gone, almost forgotten and now covered with colorful masks of smiles and celebration. Bacolod was then born as the city of smiles.
Participants in their colorful costumes and masks splashed the streets dancing to a common music that notes the unique culture of the city. It was really fun watching them. I almost stopped taking photographs to my awe.

What I find interesting too are the throng of photographers covering the event. I also wonder why they used super telephoto lens the whole time when the dancing is just infront of them.

Later in the day, we hurriedly crossed the river of people who flocked the street dancing competition and headed our way to the MassKara Queen pageant in front of the Philippine National Bank in the City.

All the while I was expecting a regular boring pageant but to my surprise, it was the complete opposite of my assumption. An array of beautifully made mardi gras styled costumes unfolded before my lenses. The costumes embraced and complemented the bodies of the beauties who wore them.

To my mind, the marriage of the the pageant contestants to their costumes were everlasting. It was an “awwww” moment indeed for not only the women bared their beauties, talent and intelligence, but the Filipino designers who made the costumes perfectly flaunt their love for their art as well.

Hats off to the organizers of the MassKara festival!

Charlie Saceda is a seasoned photojournalist mostly covering war and human interest stories in southern Philippines. He is a regular contributor for various international news agencies and currently the in-house lensman of the The Philippine Star. Contact Charlie at
csphoto.philstar@yahoo.com