The annual MassKara Festival, Bacolod City’s internationally renowned festival of smiling masks in October, has been cancelled.
The city was to celebrate the 41st MassKara Festival this year.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in Executive Order No. 62, series of 2020 dated Sunday and released yesterday, ordered the suspension of the public celebration of the MassKara Festival and all other activities related to it in October to comply with health and safety protocols stemming from the spread of Covid-19.
Bacolod City is currently under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from September 8 to 30.
Leonardia said that facts and scientific studies supported by empirical data have undoubtedly established that mass gatherings can be an effective channel of transmitting and spreading infections, like the Covid-19, among the population.
This is the reason behind the EO suspending the MassKara Festival celebration and its attendant activities and revelries this year, Leonardia said.
Parades, street dance competitions, exhibits, road shows, dance, talent, singing, beauty, costume, pyrotechnic contests, concerts, sports events, cockfights, open markets for food, plants, wares and apparel, industrial and commercial fairs, or any other form of interactions in open places, are all suspended during the whole month of October, he said.
The Bacolod Business Permits and Licensing Office will not issue any business permit or license to operate any form of activities or events in connection with the 2020 MassKara Festival, Leonardia added.
The mayor also asked the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod to avoid the issuance of any permit/license for any activity or event attendant to or related with the 2020 MassKara Festival celebration.*
