Masskara Fever is ON!

The Masskara 2010 and The 2010 Electric Masskara Official Logos

Created by: Daryl Anthony Lechago Jimenea

Image Grabbed at www.themasskarafestival.com

** Click Here for the 2010 Masskara Festival Schedule

Masskara 2009 Photo by Daryl Jimenea

Every year, during the month of October, Bacolod City streets transforms into huge party places where people from all walks of life gather and celebrate one of the Grandest and Most Colourful Festivals in the Philippines, THE MASSKARA FESTIVAL!

This year, The Masskara Fever is ON and the celebration is even more bigger and the parties are even more colouful! Parties here, parties there, parties everywhere! That is what Masskara Festival all about.

Masskara Dancers in their colourful Masks. Photo by Daryl Jimenea

With an original Masskara Music, we can expect that this year, the festival as evolved into another level. A level which an ordinary Bacolaodian like me have been dreaming since the revision of Masskara Music from the Latin Beat to the Ethnic Tribal Fusion of the previous year's festival.

Bryan Caballero receiving his P20,000 Cash Prize
for the Masskara Music Festival 2010
Photo by: Daryl Anthony Jimenea

Kari sa Bacolod : Masskara 2010, the title of the 2010 official Masskara Music, is composed by Bryan Caballero, 22 and a resident of Baranggay Villamonte (to know more about the Winning Entry of Bryan Caballero, CLICK HERE). This proves that we do not need to borrow music to use for the Masskara Festival, we have a lot of talented musicians in Bacolod and this is just the start of everything. In the coming years, I believe that Masskara Festival Music will even soar greater heights.


The Masskara Festival 2010 and The 2010 Electric Masskara Official Logos were designed by a friend of mine, Daryl Anthony L. Jimenea, a forumer of Skyscrapercity.com like myself. Daryl is also the Man behind the Official Masskara Festival website (www.masskarafestival.com) and his works were absolutely beautiful. The Logos depicts of a Bacolaodians love for the good life and everything nice. 

Skyscrapercity Bacolod forumers (L-R) Efren Pomperada Jr, Jamie Baloyo
Dr. Dominic Alojado, Anton Manso and 2010 Masskara Logo Creator
Daryl Anthony Jimenea (Photo by: Daryl Jimenea)

The 2010 Electric Masskara will transform Lacson Tourism Strip into a Humongous Party Place. More than a Kilometer long street party and Dozens of Live Bands to perform. Food Stalls and Restaurants will line up the tourism strip to become one of the country's Party Spots. For two nights from October 15 to 16, starting 8 p.m. the Electric MassKara will showcase colorfully lit dancers and carnaval-like features.

Dr. Dominic Alojado, Anton Manso, Jamie Baloyo and Daryl Jimenea
Photo by: Daryl Jimenea

Now on its 4th year, the Electric MassKara has successfully earned its own distinction as another mardi gras of the festival, apart from the Street Dance competition.

With the bright innovation of converting the Lacson St. (from the 5th St. to North Drive) into a Tourism Strip as an alternative party venue to the public plaza, the birth of Electric MassKara has added glitter to the evenings of the festival.

While the dancers are performing on the ledge, the audiences enjoy a comfortable view from their vantage points, which are actually a long line of kiosks of food and drinks from two sides of the street.

(Above) The Majica Maskara 6 Float,
(Right Top) Majica Masskara Dancers Strike a pose
(Right Bottom) The unique Majika Masskara Creativity

This year, aside from the beautiful Majica Masskara Float, another attraction to the Electric Masskara is the Electric Float Competition. Brightly lighted float will compete together with the Electric Masskara Dancers dancing atop the float.

Truly, The Masskara Festival never cease to amaze the people who celebrates it every year. And I must say, The Masskara Festival is incomparable, is fabulous, is fun-tastic and a lot more!

HAPPY MASSKARA EVERYONE!!!

Photos Courtesy of Daryl Anthony Jimenea and www.themasskarafestival.com

The Rise of “Boni High” in Talisay

By: Jamie Baloyo

September 30, 2010

It is still fresh in my mind when ALI officer Jay Visco told me during the Launch of Asyana Homes last August 2009 that, as quoted, “everything Ayala has planned for Negros will unfold right before your very eyes.” And he did not disappoint me. From that day on, I witnessed several developments from Ayala Negros. The Putting Hole in Ayala North Point, the Asyana Homes Phase 2 launch and just last Tuesday, The Ayala North Point Technohub.

It was a very hot day and straight from the Graveyard Shift, I, together with my friends Anton Manso and Efren Pomperada Jr. met at a mall near my workplace, took several photos of on-going developments in my beloved city of Bacolod and waited in front of Carmelite Monastery in Mandalagan for the van to fetch us going to the Ayala North Point Technohub site.

I have been following this project since 2008 and now, I can’t believe that it is for real. I can’t explain the happiness I felt when my friend who works at Ayala Negros told me that FINALLY, ALI will be launching the Technohub in Negros. I don’t know why, but for me, when Ayala pours in Projects like these in a certain locality, it means more Jobs and Opportunities for the people. And when there’s job, people have money to spend and everybody’s happy.

Under the scorching heat of the sun.

Photo courtesy of Efren Pomperada Jr.

At last, we were there, we care less about the scorching heat of the sun, and I care less about having no sleep even though I am getting paranoid of having heat stroke any moment that time. I feel so dehydrated, I feel sleepy, I feel warm and at the same time, I am excited. Everything that matters to me now is to witness the Rise of “BONI HIGH” in Negros.

The Ayala North Point Technohub - Building 1

Boni High, is the term I use to describe this whole thing, this whole project. As what distinguished guest Talisay City Mayor Eric Sarratan said, “We are looking forward of the day that Talisay City will be known not as Talisay City in Cebu, or Talisay in Batangas, BUT, TALISAY CITY in Negros Occidental. And if all of us will work hard, eventually, Talisay City in Negros will become the TAGUIG of Negros.”

When completed, the campus will consist of several BPO facilities with a total gross leasable area (GLA) of approximately 40,000 square meters, supported by a retail component on the ground floor of each office building, all within a 215-hecatare property that Ayala Land is developing in the city.

Ayala North Point Technohub is a 2 Storey building with approximately 4,500 SqM Gross Leasable areas and is expected to be finished within the 1^st quarter of 2011. It is the first of 8 Technohub Buildings to be built and there will be a retail component in each building and aside from the Technohub buildings, a Retail Strip and a future Shopping Center is also part of the whole plan. Upon completion of the whole project, it is expected to generate at least 15,000 jobs that will benefit the people and the local community.

The Site Plan of the Ayala North Point BPO and Retail Complex

“Talisay is one of the major growth centers Ayala Land would like to have a strong presence in,” said Ayala Land senior vice president Marivic Anonuevo. We are encouraged by the support of the Talisay city government units and our partner, the Lacson family, in facilitating the early start of this project.”

Ms. Marivic Anonuevo, Senior Vice President - Ayala Land Inc.,

Photo Courtesy of Anton Manso

According to Anonuevo, this project brings the success of the company’s existing environment-friendly developments such as the UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub in Quezon City and One Evotech in NUVALI, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, to the Talisay community.

With the Ayala North Point Technohub on the rise, we can really say that Negros is blessed to have Ayala and for every Negrense, Ayala is special. “In due time, everything will unfold right before your very eyes.” These words kept on repeating into my thoughts and now, I can really see it. I can really say that, “Talisay City in Negros is really on the rise to become the Next Boni High!”