This Week in Bacood (September 25 to October 1, 2022)

Bacolod City and Negros Occidental officially declared the optional use of face masks outdoors and in open spaces. Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson issued Executive Orders (EOs) on the updated face mask mandate, respectively.

This week in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, residents have been slowly adjusting to the new face mask mandate following the declaration of the Malacañang on the optional use of face masks.

However, under the EOs released by Benitez and Lacson, wearing face masks indoors is still mandatory inside public and private facilities, public transportation, medical and hospital facilities, and laboratories.

But as the government eases face mask directives, individuals who are unvaccinated immunocompromised and senior citizens are still highly encouraged to wear face masks.

Additionally, Lacson expressed his thoughts that wearing face masks in indoor places might also be optional by December. But for now, the use of face masks is still highly encouraged for the following weeks in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental for precautionary safety of the public.

Festival goers are sure to benefit from the new face mask mandate following the official announcement of Bacolod City’s highly anticipated MassKara Festival, announced just past two weeks in Bacolod and in the whole province of Negros Occidental.

Bacolod City government officially opened MassKara Festival’s comeback with the launch of the official MassKara Festival website and the MassKara Festival theme song and MassKara music video at the Bacolod City Government Center.

This year’s theme for the MassKara Festival is anchored to the tagline “Balik Yuhum” or Bring Back the Smile. The MassKara music video entitled “Smile Again” is popularized by Filipino-Canadian singer Darren Espanto and Negrosanon actress Sue Ramirez.

The MassKara music video shall be heard all over the streets of Bacolod City to hype up the excitement of the MassKara Festival starting October 1 to October 23.

Local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have also started to prepare for the MassKara Festival as each LGU cleans up and prepares their respective pavilions at Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, one of the main sites of the MassKara Festival.

Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez also said that mostly all LGUs out of 31 should actively participate in the festivities and in the ‘MassKara sa Panaad’.

This year’s MassKara Festival would be the first time for the Bacolod City and Negros Occidental governments to coordinate and participate in the preparation and commencement of the festivities.

Other than the Panaad Park and Stadium as one of the festival’s central locations, five more celebration sites of the MassKara Festival are also announced. MassKara Festival’s main activities shall also be showcased at the Bacolod City Public Plaza, Bacolod City Government Center, Lacson’s streets, the Baywalk Area, and The Upper East – Megaworld.

The Electric Masskara Competition shall be showcased from The Upper East to the Bacolod City Government Center on October 22, where the participants shall dance and perform.

On the other hand, another MassKara Festival highlight is the Masskara Street Dance Competition shall be held from Rizal – Locsin streets to Gatuslao Street near the Bacolod City Public Plaza, Gonzaga Street, Araneta Street, and to the Paglaum Sports Complex. The contest shall be officially held on the latter.

The MassKara Festival is divided into three parts, showcasing different weekly events. The first week of the festival shall feature sports events and competitions, followed by bazaars and trade fairs in the second week, culminating with entertainment, pageants, and cultural events in the third week of the MassKara Festival.

Landers Superstore is set to launch in Bacolod City, located at Megaworld’s The Upper East Township, making it the first Landers shopping hub in Western Visayas.

Landers Superstore in Bacolod City features a unique and sustainable design and will be connected to the West Wing of the soon-to-rise Upper East Mall via a Bridgeway. The store will occupy a 25,000-square meter property on Upper East Avenue, near Two Regis and Herald Parksuites, the latest residential condominium developments in the area. BPO office buildings are also developing in the city.

Landers Superstore in The Upper East, Bacolod City, shall also feature a large parking area that can accommodate more than 300 cars and vehicles. The parking area shall be designed within an area where Bacolod City’s century-old trees stand.

The target opening of Landers Superstore will be by March 2023 and shall be the fourth branch in the Philippines under Megaworld. The other three branches of the superstore are located in Alabang West, Arcovia City, and Uptown Bonifacio.

New and modernized public utility jeepneys have been sighting the streets for weeks in Bacolod City.

The launch of almost 50 modern jeepneys in Bacolod City is part of the government’s implementation under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

Modernized jeepneys routing Eroreco-Central Market trips, Homesite-Central Market, Bata-Libertad loop, Alijis-downtown loop, and just recently, routes for Northbound terminal loop have already started their trips and offering convenient rides to Bacolod City commuters.

These modern public utility jeepneys are fully air-conditioned, and each vehicle is manned by a driver and a conductor. Each jeepney is also equipped with CCTV cameras and a GPS tracking device. The minimum fare for riding the modern jeepneys starts at PhP13.

Meanwhile, a fare increase is expected by the local transportation industry of Negros Occidental, as approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The fare increase will take effect this October, based on the downloadable fare matrix provided by the LTFRB through their official social media page.

Under the implementation of the transportation fare increase, jeepney commuters shall now pay a minimum fare of PhP12 from PhP11. On the other hand, modern jeepneys shall have a minimum fare of PhP14 from PhP13.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Bacolod and Negros Island!