BEYOND MASSKARA | Off the beaten path in Southern Negros
by Joseph Araneta Gamboa, https://www.facebook.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BusinessMirror/ · BusinessMirror- Joseph Araneta Gamboa
- October 26, 2024
- 5 minute read
The fourth weekend of October marks the highlights of the annual MassKara Festival in Bacolod City. This year’s theme is “Sapphire Celebration” to commemorate the 45th edition of the City of Smiles’ world-famous fiesta whose portmanteau literally translates to “many faces” as depicted in the smiling masks worn by festival participants.
It was in 1980 when the MassKara Festival was born amid a time of crisis in Bacolod – the capital city of Negros Occidental province known as the “Sugar Bowl of the Philippines.” Considered the lifeblood of most Negrenses, the sugarcane industry was then suffering from a glut in the world market that caused sugar prices to plunge. The sugar crisis led to economic hardships in Bacolod and the 30 other LGUs of the province.
Adding more misery to the Negrenses, another crisis struck in April 1980 when the Negros Navigation Co.’s M/V Don Juan inter-island ship was rammed by an oil tanker and sank off Tablas Strait while en route from Manila to Bacolod. More than 200 passengers perished in the Don Juan tragedy, including prominent Bacolod families.
During the kickoff ceremonies for the 2024 festival, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez paid tribute to the late Mayor Jose “Digoy” Montalvo, founder of the MassKara Festival, and his co-founder Ely Santiago, a multi-awarded painter-cartoonist who coined the festival’s name. Together with members of the Art Association of Bacolod, Montalvo and Santiago conceptualized the festival not to mask the Bacolodnons’ grief but to rise as a city in defiance of adversity.
MAIN FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Being the peak of the MassKara Festival, this weekend features a frenzy of activities such as the finals of the street dance and arena competitions at Paglaum Stadium; the MassKara 80s Music Festival at Megaworld’s The Upper East; and the MassKarade Ball at the brand-new Roy’s Hotel and Convention Center.
Other ongoing events include the 3rd Mayor Albee Benitez Open Billiard Tournament at Ayala Malls Capitol Central; the MassKanamit Food Festival also at Megaworld’s The Upper East; the shows of Pinoy Pop band SB19 and Japanese artist Fumiya at Robinsons Place Bacolod and SM City Bacolod, respectively; the Mardi Gras and Bombo Radyo Dance Showdown at the Bacolod City Public Plaza; and the much-awaited Electric MassKara nighttime parade at the Lacson Tourism Strip.
JEWEL OF THE SUGAR ISLAND
Three and a half hours south of Bacolod, Sipalay City is known as “the Jewel of the Sugar Island” due to its natural treasures and ecotourism destinations. Its distance from Bacolod is 170 kilometers which is equidistant from Dumaguete City in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental.
Among Sipalay’s breathtaking destinations are Tinagong Dagat, a hidden lagoon sitting on a shallow green sea amid scattered islets; Campomanes Bay, a marine sanctuary that showcases colorful reefs and two shipwrecks; Matlag Cave, an underground experience featuring large chambers and stalactites for those who enjoy spelunking; and Poblacion Beach, a 1.9-kilometer shoreline at the city center with magnificent sunset views.
The latest hidden oasis to uncover in Sipalay is Manami Resort, located in a tucked-away paradise that has become Negros Occidental’s best-kept secret. Designed by renowned resort architect Antonio Jalandoni Legaspi, this thoughtfully curated luxury estate is managed by the Discovery Group as the flagship of its Signature Collection, aside from Discovery Shores Boracay, Discovery Suites Ortigas, and Discovery Primea Makati.
Manami Resort’s five-star amenities range from two-bedroom and deluxe villas to oceanview and poolside suites, as well as the fusion of regional and international cuisine at Lingaw Restaurant and Hunas Sunset Deck. Its Nature Butler is available to guide guests who want to experience immersive adventures like cave spelunking, island hopping, and watersports. Nestled on top of a hilly forest are Manami’s private helipad and the state-of-the-art Linong Spa – the healing ground for mind and body pampering.
PEARL OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
Thirty minutes away from Sipalay, the first-class municipality of Hinoba-an is the southernmost town of Negros Occidental. Up to the Spanish colonial era, it was a vast wilderness separated from civilization by its rugged terrain.
During the early 20th century, foreign entrepreneurs ventured to explore this southern frontier and found it rich in natural resources. After World War II, Hinoba-an became the center of the Negros lumber and mining industries, a rich tuna fishing ground, and a barter trading hub that earned it the moniker, “Pearl of Negros Occidental.”
Hinoba-an’s best-known attraction is Punta Ubong, a formation of limestone caves at the tip of a lush headland jutting into the sea. Most dramatic is Salvacion Cave, a spectacular coastal cavern with a deep natural pool where pumpboats regularly dock bringing tourists to view the cave’s cathedral-like dome.
On its coastal side facing the Sulu Sea, there is a long stretch of fine sand beaches and clear turquoise seas that are ideal for swimming and snorkeling. One of the newer resorts is Calamai Tropica along the pristine shores of Hinoba-an. This private beach haven has a serene ambience with its own infinity pool overlooking the stunning ocean in the tropics. A spectacle to watch is the hatching of sea turtle eggs that attest to Calamai Tropica’s commitment to environmental conservation and marine biodiversity.
MORE NEGRENSE HIDDEN GEMS
Elsewhere in southern Negros Occidental, there are numerous other hidden gems to be discovered in the City of Kabankalan and the municipalities of Candoni, Cauayan, and Ilog.
Danjugan Island is a 43-hectare protected marine reserve in the town of Cauayan which is popular for its scuba diving and bird-watching opportunities. It is managed by the award-winning Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, which bought and saved the island from possible destruction back in the 1990s.
Soon to rise is the regional center of the Philippines’ newly-legislated Negros Island Region (NIR) composed of three provinces: Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. Should plans push through, this will be located at the border of Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental and the town of Mabinay in Negros Oriental.
Southern Negros can be accessed via multiple daily flights of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and AirAsia to the Bacolod-Silay International Airport and the Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport for travelers originating from Manila and Cebu. Business leaders in the region are also urging lawmakers to expedite the completion of the Kabankalan City Domestic Airport to boost the NIR’s economic growth.
All photos by Joseph Araneta Gamboa/BM
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Joseph Araneta Gamboa
Joseph Gamboa is the co-chairman of the Finex Annual Conferences for 2020-2021, the chairman of the Finex Business Columns Subcommittee and the director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of these institutions and the BusinessMirror.
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