Behind the Smiles: Masskara 2012

written by Leo Lutero

The Masskara is known for an almost infinite line of Bacolodnons donning glittering costumes and even more blinding masks with cheek-to-cheek smiling faces. Even though before I moved to Manila to study I was just a ferry ride away from this happy city, I’m unfamiliar with the festival so there was no denying I was just as excited as every other tourist in the city.

I arrived in Bacolod city morning before the festival highlight which is the street dance competition. The city might seem too quite at first with only a handful of people walking up and down even emptier streets. After a drive through several key roads only will you realize that everyone was in the town plaza and the surrounding streets. Because the fiesta was literally on the road, several routes were closed to vehicles. If visiting Bacolod, an experienced guide will prove useful navigating through the roads which I found tricky especially with the special detours for the festival.

The afternoon showed an incline in the mood of the city: street food, music, and a lot of Filipino families scattered on foot looking for a good time and as nighttime approached, the merry-making reaches a whole new level.

Loud DJ mixes will start playing simultaneously on countless 10-foot tall speaker systems scattered around the city and everyone will start drinking their local beers, all in the happy spirit of Masskara. The air will also be filled with smoke and the smell of barbecue as grills will start to fire up. For a while, it reminded me of Roman parties which were synonymous with unlimited wine and meat. Definitely, everyone is ready to have a wonderful time.

I suggest finding a good spot on the streets of Bacolod particularly those surrounding the city’s plaza where the merry-making is concentrated. Seat yourselves, grab some cold beer, wait for your barbecue, add freshly cooked white rice and eat dinner while watching the commotion. Several stages with live bands were also erected in the area. A number of product promotions with games and freebies were also set up. As with all festivals, several stands selling souvenir items were also ready to be haggled with. Tattoo artists with their henna ink and their battery powered flashlights also scatter around ready to be commissioned.

After the first night, I went home with a full stomach, a good level of tipsiness and joy that I was finally able to join the Masskara festivities which have eluded me. The endorphin-charged crowd is definitely infectious.

The next day, when the street dancing competition took place, I unfortunately had a headache that tablets could not tame so I wasn’t able to go out and watch the street dance competition although I am sure it was beautiful. The street dance competition involve a huge number of people in beautifully bright costumes dancing complex choreography retelling the story of the arrival of the Sto. Nino. As I’ve read on the newspaper earlier that day, to cope with changing times, every street dance team was accompanied by a live DJ, a change from the more traditional live music. Bacolod City is definitely like that: willing to adapt but still holding on to the values that keep it together.

When the tropical heat relaxed and my head started working properly again, I went out to explore the city by foot. Walking around the city isn’t much of a problem as long as you’re located near the center of the fun which is the lagoon. Bacolod City is friendly to walkers, especially during a cloudy day where the sun’s heat is friendlier. I saw several more shops. Of course, there were ukay-ukays, a must for someone who likes to find vintage pieces and cheap deals on second-hand items. I saw combat boots that were in perfect condition sold for a bargain! Too unfortunate they weren’t my size.

Walking around the city, you get to see the more toned-down historical influences in the city that gives Bacolod a unique flair. There are wooden houses, the churches, and several other elements growing beside commercial establishments that show Bacolod is a growing city. It isn’t metropolitan per se but the heightened level of activity shows it isn’t a sleeper either. Dropping by the Municipal Hall, a majestic white establishment with a wide circular infinity fountain affront, I was in awe. A sign that Bacolod is ready to take over. There are also several malls in the city like SM, Robinson’s, and Gaisano for grocery needs if ever. The breezy afternoon is perfect for trying several more street food. There are freshly baked bibingkas and you can actually see the special ovens they use to make the treat. Also, there are chicken intestines on stick or “isaw” which I’ve been a fan of ever since my first try. The Bacolod isaw is serious competition to the isaws I have tasted before.

As the night falls again, we decide to drop by the popular nigh-out spot in Bacolod, Goldenfields. It is a compound with a good number of clubs and bars. Also, the charming Casino Filipino building is inside and is especially alive during this Masskara night. After hanging out at MO2, a popular bar chain in Visayas, we moved to Flow, a club which was slowly filling up with people ready to party. After realizing we weren’t really up for the club, we moved to Lacson Street which is the merry-making capital of the Masskara’s Bacolod. People were dancing on the streets, finding the spots nearest the towering speaker systems, and wildly flailing to disco mixes “Karma Chameleon” or “Gangnam Style” (I don’t think they even care whatever song is played!) while clutching their half-empty bottles of beer. It was fun watching all the people have fun. Lacson Street was filled with policemen ready to keep everything in order and everyone safe so the energy was just positive. After a few more cold beers and a minute or two on the dance floor, we went home. I was content with watching my fellow Filipinos just enjoy their life and city, dancing on the streets with huge smiles on their faces, at least once a year.