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THE Filipino community is all set to stage one of its favourite festivals in the kingdom … and continue putting smiles on the faces of the people of Bahrain and other expats living here in a bid to boost tourism to their home country.
One of the biggest celebrations planned will be the annual Lost Paradise of Dilmun Waterpark (LPOD) Travelex – Western Union Pinoy Masskara Festival on Friday.
“Aside from this celebration, it is, of course, created for a noble cause. Each participating group aims to raise funds for their respective charitable projects, whether it’s helping our typhoon-stricken Kababayans in the Philippines or donating to less fortunate Filipinos living here in the kingdom, ” said Anette Avila, the local festival’s head organiser.
The smile-making will continue long after the festival too. It will be followed later this month by a Filipino Fiesta Brunch on two Fridays at the neighbouring Al Areen Palace & Spa’s Keizo restaurant. The Philippine Department of Tourism has recently launched a ‘Bring Home a Friend’ programme.
The Masskara Festival’s origin holds a place close to the hearts of many. “For us Filipinos, especially those who have resided in Bacolod, it is a very important event,” explained Mahalina Penaflor, 39, secretary of Tau Gamma Sigma Sorority of Triskelion International – Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter.
The festival was launched in 1980 during a period of crisis. The province relied on sugar cane as its primary agricultural crop and the price of sugar was at an all-time low due to the introduction of sugar substitutes like corn syrup in the US. Then tragedy struck on April 22 of that year, when the inter-island vessel MV Don Juan carrying many Negrenses, including those belonging to prominent families in Bacolod City, collided with the tanker Tacloban City and sank. An estimated 700 lives were lost.
In the midst of the turmoil, the city’s artists, local government and civic groups decided to hold a festival of smiles. They reasoned that it was also a good opportunity to pull the residents out of the pervasive gloomy atmosphere. The initial festival was therefore, a declaration by the people of the city that no matter how tough and bad the times were, Bacolod City was going to pull through, survive, and in the end, triumph.
The word Masskara was coined by the late artist Ely Santiago from mass (a multitude of people), and the Spanish word cara (face). The word is also a pun on maskara, Filipino for ‘mask’, since it’s a prominent feature of the festival, adorned with a happy face because it is called the ‘city of smiles’.
Preparations are now on full swing as LPOD, in partnership with the local Filipino community headed by Houras & Katilingban sang Mga Ilonggo sa Bahrain, for Friday’s festival from 10am until 7pm, following the success of last year’s inaugural event.
The ‘happiness festival’ will feature a lively showcase of street dancers adorned with colourful costumes, masks and head dresses. Fun activities include games and raffles, plus a live DJ at the beachside.
Marvellous masks made from recycled materials by Philippine School of Bahrain students will also be judged.
“Now in our second year, we are truly thankful to LPOD’s management for allowing us to host our very own festival where our fellow Filipinos can have a full day of fun with their friends and families. In addition, we also aim to promote and share our culture and traditions with other nationalities living in Bahrain,” said Joselito Pascual, president, Katilingban sang Mga Ilonggo sa Bahrain.
This event is sponsored by The Philippine National Bank & Uniform at Sports Avenue.
Supported by The Filipino American Association of Bahrain, The Filipino Catholic Community of Sacred Heart Church Bahrain, The Filipino Basketball Group, Pinay Ikaw Na! & Dabarkads.
Filipinos are also being encouraged to help promote the Philippines to their foreign friends as a holiday destination by hosting them at home for a meal … and they could win a host of prizes too for their generosity.
“I think it is time we Filipinos introduced our country to the citizens of our second home – Bahrainis – so we can help them better understand our culture and also to thank them for what they have done for us during our time here,” added Mahalina, who moved to the kingdom in 2003 and is currently a PA to a managing director.
“We are warm, we are God fearing and most of us, if not all, have good singing voices too! We are hospitable. We are like the bamboo tree, we are survivors.”
The Philippines has seen a consistent growth in tourist arrivals from the Middle East. In 2016, the country received a total of 83,546 tourists from the region. It’s known for its beaches and mountains as well as shopping and adventure travel, with industry sources describing it as ‘a big country in a small package’. It’s the second largest archipelago in the world, with 7,107 islands, 60 per cent of which are uninhabited and, combined, the total coastline measures 58,390km.
Due to the charitable nature of Friday’s event, guests are being offered a discounted rate of entry into the waterpark for the LPOD Travelex – Western Union Pinoy Masskara Festival through the event organisers on 33934790, 36466796 or 34348031.
To join the Bring Home a Friend initiative register at tourism.gov.ph. The more ‘foreign friends’ sponsors invite, the more entries they can submit for the chance to win a prize.
The Filipino Fiesta Brunch with karaoke at Keizo takes place on November 3 & 17 from 12.30pm to 4.30pm. Call 17845000 for more details.
