• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The smiles were widest for Barangay Tangub as they took home the championship for the 46th MassKara Festival Street and Arena Dance Competition Barangay Category.
The triumphant contingent from Barangay Tangub showcased a spectacular performance that paid tribute to Bacolod’s 46 years of resilience.
The win earned them the top prize of P1 Million and the coveted championship trophy, as well as other cash prizes from major sponsors.
Barangay Tangub also swept the major special awards, including Best in Mask and Costume, Best in Concept, Best in music, Most Disciplined Contingents, and second place in Merrymaking Competition.
“We are thankful even though we do not expect it as there are plenty of good performances,” Tangub captain Noli Villarosa said.
Finishing as the second place was Barangay Bata, who walked away with a P500,000 cash prize, and minor awards such as, third runner-up in Merrymaking Competition and Best in Introduction.
Meanwhile, Barangay 29 was named the third placer, receiving P300,000 cash and winning minor awards, including first place in Merrymaking Competition, and Best in Community Dance.*
MANSILINGAN WINS ELECTRIC MASSKARA
Barangay Mansilingan shone the brightest as they clinched the championship title in the Electric MassKara float parade and dance-off competition on Friday, which drew a crowd of over 2,000 amid a heavy downpour.
According to a press release, it bested 11 other participating barangays, taking home a prize check of P350,000 with a float motif showcasing “Cakes of Bacolod”.
The float parade moved from The Upper East by Megaworld towards the Bacolod City Government Center grounds, illuminating the streets with vibrant floats and colorful costumes.
“[Winning the competition] is a great pride for our group because we only rehearsed for a week. We had a lot of struggles and a very short preparation time. We’re really happy to have secured the championship,” choreographer Denver Diocson shared.
The barangay also dominated the special awards category, winning three out of four distinctions: Best in Float, Best in Mask and Costume, and Best in Music, earning a total cash prize of P30,000.
Mansilingan Barangay Captain Franz Tionko also expressed her gratitude to her constituents: “I’m just really grateful to everyone, to the efforts of all employees, to all the times of sleeping late and waking up early, to all our workers who cooperated to make this possible.”
Barangay 12 secured a second-runner up finish with a P200,000 prize, while Barangay Granada took the third runner-up spot, winning P150,000. The latter also won a special award as the Most Disciplined barangay.
The floats were categorized into three themes that align with this year’s official festival theme: “One Smile”, featuring Bacolod’s famous festivals; “One City”, exhibiting iconic landmarks; and “One Heart”, celebrating well-loved delicacies and cuisines.
In his message, Mayor Greg Gasataya lauded the dedication and creativity of all the contingents for this year’s Electric MassKara competition.
“We thank the 12 barangays who partook in our Electric MassKara this 2025. We’ve seen how you have evolved our competition that is why we congratulate our 12 barangays for participating. We also would like to thank all the sponsors who made our event tonight memorable,” the mayor said.
Other participants were Barangays 2, 5, 8, 17, 19, 32, 33, 34, and Cabug.
Corporate sponsors, including Jollibee, Cebu Pacific, Palawan Pawnshop, Dr. Wong’s, and Regasco, also participated in the parade, showcasing their floats and featuring their celebrity ambassadors.
The event was co-presented by audio equipment manufacturer JBL.*
