Masskara Festival

In the heart of Negros Occidental, there was a city known for its sweet smiles and gentle people

of Bacolod City And this is the story of Masskara Festival.

It was 1980, and the city was weighed down by sorrow.

Sugar, the lifeblood of the island’s economy, had lost its value. The world market had shifted, and what once made the people of Bacolod thrive was no longer enough. Jobs were lost. Families struggled. But just when it seemed the city could take no more...

A tragedy struck.

On April 22, a passenger ship called M/V Don Juan sank off the coast of Mindoro. It was carrying hundreds of Negrenses on their way home. Many never made it back. The sea took lives… and with it, took the joy from countless families in Bacolod.The city was in mourning.

But in the midst of darkness, the people chose something extraordinary. They chose hope.

Artists, students, community leaders, and ordinary citizens gathered. They asked: “How can we bring back the light?”

And from that question came an answer — a festival of smiles.

They called it MassKara — from the word “mass” (meaning many people), and “kara”, the Spanish word for face. It would be a celebration not of their pain, but of their resilience. A way to tell the world: We are down, but not defeated.

Colorful masks with wide, joyful grins were crafted. Dancers filled the streets in vibrant costumes. Music echoed through the city, not to forget the sadness — but to transform it into strength.

And so, from a time of sorrow, the City of Smiles was reborn.

Today, every October, Bacolod dances again — not just to celebrate culture or creativity, but to honor a powerful truth:

That even when life is heavy, the spirit can still smile.