BACOLOD City – A total of 2,949 security forces will ensure peace and order during the 44th MassKara Festival in this city.
Deployed were 941 organic personnel of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) as well as 1,046 augmentation forces from the Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) and the rest were from other interagencies, including force multipliers.
A send-off ceremony led by Colonel Noel Aliño, city police director and Festival Site Task Group commander, was held on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the BCPO grounds. It was witnessed by Councilor Pao Sy on behalf of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
“We will implement maximum tolerance as part of the discipline to have a safe, peaceful and orderly celebration,” Aliño said.
There were six festival sites: the Lacson Tourism Strip on Lacson Street, the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds, SM City, The Upper East-Megaworld, Bacolod Old Airport and the Bacolod City Public Plaza.
On Wednesday, Oct. 4, the BCPO held simulation exercises for hostage-taking, robbery, shooting, and bombing situations, among others, to ensure readiness for the festival.
‘All systems go’
“It’s all systems go with all preparations in place to make this year’s festival even more exciting, bigger, bolder and brighter,” said festival chairperson Jojie Dingcong of the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation.
This year’s MassKara began with a countdown, termed “salubong,” at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds on Friday night, Oct. 6.
Popular pop-rock band The Juans and local bands rendered performances. At the same time, the top three winners in last year’s Arena Dance Competition, all 15 candidates for Miss Bacolod MassKara, and some contestants for this year’s Search for Electric Diva teased the audience about what to expect from the upcoming events.
The “salubog” capped at midnight with a fireworks display, followed by DJ Bien for the after-party celebration.
MassKara Festival highlights will be on Oct. 21 (Electric MassKara) and Oct. 22 (Street and Arena Dance Competition)./PN
