Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella led city and barangays officials during the opening salvo of the 36 th MassKara Festival at the Bacolod City Plaza yesterday morning that started with a “Fun MassKara run and walk.”

“We have every reason to celebrate the MassKara Festival because of the many blessings showered upon the city”, Puentevella said after leading the countdown to start the celebration.

Puentevella said the economy of the city has improved and the entry of more investors will provide more jobs and improve the lives of Bacolodnons.

“Despite the odds, we will continue the celebration. Let us give ourselves a time to enjoy after the many tragedies we have suffered in the past,” he said.

This celebration belongs to the people of Bacolod. It has become successful not only because of the contributions of the past leaders but because of the cooperation of the people, Puentevella said.

The success of MassKara belongs to everyone, he said.

Department heads, City Hall employees, students, organization representatives and barangay leaders also joined Puentevella in kicking off the 19-day celebration together with Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya, Councilors Sonya Verdeflor, Noli Villarosa, Wilson Gamboa, Jr., executive assistant Rocky Puentevella and First Lady Josefa Puentevella, which was followed by an aerobics session and performance by local hip-hop group Bacolod Souljaz.

Festival director Rhoderick Samonte said that text messages circulated yesterday that the mayor did not lead the opening of the MassKara was only meant to confuse and intrigue the people.

He said the pending suspension order by the Sandiganbayan against the mayor does not in any way affect their plan. They even kicked off the fiesta alley on September 26.

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division Monday ordered a 90-day preventive suspension against the mayor in the graft case involving alleged P26 million overpriced IT packages.

The graft case against Puentevella and his co-accused, stemmed from the alleged overpriced purchase of computers and their software packages at P400,000 each, totaling P26 million from 2001 to 2006, funded from his Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel fund, while he was congressman of Bacolod City.

“The accused public officer is directed to cease and desist from exercising the functions and privileges of his office for 90 days immediately upon receipt of this resolution,” the Sandiganbayan order said.

Puentevella scored his political opponents, during the general assembly of job order casual employees at the People's House (Bacolod Government Center) Wednesday, saying they are behind the case because they are greedy for power and want to return to City Hall.

Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez, who has been following up the case against Puentevella in the Sandiganbayan, said he wants alleged corrupt officials to answer to the people. This will also serve as a warning to them, he said.

Meanwhile, Samonte said they have invited senators, Cabinet secretaries and diplomats to the MassKara Festival. A number of the senators have confirmed that they are coming during the highlight considering this is election season, he said.

Samonte, however, said they have not yet received any formal confirmation on the exact time and date of their arrivals.

Charie Ginete-Ilon, MassKara Queen coordinator, said tickets for the MassKara Queen pageant will be out today. Half of the proceeds MQ pageant that will be held on October 12 at the SMX Convention Center will benefit the Bacolod City Police Office and half will go to the advocacies of the Kasadya Bacolod Development Foundation.

Ginete-Ilon said the MQ Talent Night will be at 5 p.m. October 3 at the SM Atrium, while the MQ Festival Costume competition will be at 4 p.m. October 8 at Robinsons Place-Bacolod.

Puentevella, on the other hand, reiterated that “all roads should lead to Bacolod” every October to take part in one of the most anticipated and colorful festivals in the world. MassKara is the only festival in the Philippines to be included in the list of 12 international parties that are worth buying a ticket for, he added.

“Today we start yet another historical MassKara Festival. Celebrate with your friends, your family and in the spirit of the Almighty,” Puentevella said as he also thanked God for good weather in spite of the heavy rain the night before.

Samonte also led in administering the oath of amateurship to the competitors and organizers in this year's events. * CGS

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