Cover Students in colorful masks perform during street parade in Bacolod Citys Masskara festival in Philippines (Photo: Jeremy Villasis/Getty Images)
Students in colorful masks perform during street parade in Bacolod Citys Masskara festival in Philippines (Photo: Jeremy Villasis/Getty Images)
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There will always be colour, magic, and smiles around Bacolod. In this write-up, Tatler takes you to some of the city's lesser-known yet remarkably amusing spots
Bacolod wasn't all about smiles in the early 1980s when its villagers suffered an economic crisis. At the time, the Philippines' sugar cane capital barely survived when the United States introduced sugar substitutes like fructose corn syrup. For many of the city's farmers, this meant a dip in sales—the price of sugar was at an all-time low.
In the same year, the city grieved the death of about 700 Filipinos (the majority are Bacolod villagers) who perished when MV Don Juan collided with an oil tanker and sank in Tablas Strait, Mindoro.
Fate was not kind to Bacolod, but there was a way to conceal this: the Masskara festival, a street dance parade conceived by the Art Association of Bacolod (ABB).
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Masskara is the portmanteau of the words "mass," which means crowd, and "kara," which means face. People who joined the annual fest dance in the middle of the street wore smiling face masks, colourful costumes, and gigantic headdresses.
Above Masskara is the portmanteau of the words "mass," which means crowd, and "kara," which means face. People who joined the annual fest dance in the middle of the street wearing smiling face masks, colourful costumes, and gigantic head dresses. (Photo: Fernan Burgos/Getty Images)
Masskara is the portmanteau of the words "mass," which means crowd, and "kara," which means face. People who joined the annual fest dance in the middle of the street wearing smiling face masks, colourful costumes, and gigantic head dresses. (Photo: Fernan Burgos/Getty Images)
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Despite its heart-wrenching past, Bacolod emits a charm that no other place in the country can match. In this article, Tatler takes you to the city's most thronged places:
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San Sebastian Cathedral
Above The San Sebastian Cathedral (Photo: Visit Bacolod)
The San Sebastian Cathedral (Photo: Visit Bacolod)
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The San Sebastian Church is among Bacolod City's oldest and most famous structures. The original church was constructed in 1825 under the leadership of Fr. Julian Gonzaga. Initially, San Sebastian was made of wood and only had one bell. When Fr. Mauricio Ferrero took over, the cathedral was reconstructed and became even bigger. The latter wanted to make a church with coral stones.
Related: Marian Shrine in Antipolo Named as the Philippines' First International Shrine
Orange Project
Above Orange Project (Photo: The Bacolod Food Hunters blog)
Orange Project (Photo: The Bacolod Food Hunters blog)
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There are so many galleries to visit whenever you find yourself in the city of smiles. One of them is Orange Project, a gallery put up by visual artist Charlie Co and businessman Victor Benjamin Lopue III. "Orange Project is one tangible contribution towards the elevation of art consciousness in Negros. Its mission is both simple and complex. It is expanding creative potential in a flexible space that has blossomed into an art hub. It is exploration, collaboration, explosion, reflection, and cross-discipline".
Negros Museum
Above (Photo: Negros Occidental Provincial Government)
(Photo: Negros Occidental Provincial Government)
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The Negros Museum is a privately owned provincial museum built in 1925. The museum was formerly housed in the Provincial Capitol before the latter was reverted for government use in 2003. Since then, all the exhibits transferred to the former Provincial Agriculture Building.
Negros Museum is the first one not to hold archaeological artefacts in its possession. It was designed to display the Negrense lifestyle, which includes old furniture and loaned items from the city's ancestral houses.
Jojo Vito Design Gallery
Above Jojo Vito Gallery (Photo: Booming Bacolod)
Jojo Vito Gallery (Photo: Booming Bacolod)
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Before you join the Masskara festival, make sure that you have your masks ready. The best place to get them is in Jojo Vito Designs, home to Bacolod's most colourful masks. Operating all year round, Jojo Vito Designs also doubles as a gallery where guests can request a mask painting session with the in-house artist.
Related: Bacolod Travelogue: Everything You Have to Eat (and Where to Get It)
Manokan Country Bacolod
Above Video courtesy of Mark Wiens on Youtube
Do not leave your stomach empty. Try Bacolod's famous chicken inasal at the Manokan Country! The place offers dozens of stalls that serve the city's most sought-after food. Some of the most famous restaurants include Aida's, Nena's Rose, Shibarose, and more.
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
