Masskara @ The Plaza - Masskara Festival 2012

The previous year, I witnessed and covered the Masskara Festival from the streets.  It was an experience on its own - the running to and fro between contingents and participants, the heat, the bumping with fellow photography enthusiasts ...

This time I'm witnessing it from the Bacolod Public Plaza, where all of the street dancing culminate and where all performers give their final-best for the judges, the guests and the public.

No lengthy stories this time, but enough images to give you the feel of the festivities and to encourage you to experience one of the Philippines' grander festival.

no amount of rain can dampen the zest of the performers

At the plaza, I was shoulder to shoulder with fellow photographers as well as local media personalities covering the event.

I got to witness occasional interviews of prominent visitors who are sitting on the stage just a few feet from where I was standing or squatting.  The venue for such event was too small, one has to learn how to share the space with others.

then, Senator Migz Zubiri from Bukidnon

former, Congresswoman Riza Hontiveros

The best part is really seeing the performances of each contingent in its entirety, from start to end, something you don't see on their street performance.


The starting formation matters.  They provide for the immediate audience impact, especially upon hearing their initial shrieks and the oohh's and the ahhh's ...

The choreography and execution as well as the props, however, are ultimately the deciding factors.

sway here ...

sway there ...

resourcefulness at its best, using indigenous materials for their props

It's still a competition after all.

Even the Higantes are present, this time with familiar faces ...

The sun and the rain may have played its tricks to everyone present ...

including a few of the participants

 but in the end it's the another successful Masskara Festival 2012.

21 Oct 2012