Bacolod City - The local government of Bacolod City hosted a cultural exchange event this week with South Korea's Andong City, further solidifying their sister city relationship. Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration during the event, hoping for more vibrant ties between the two cities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the event featured a MassKara Festival performance for the Korean delegation.
The Korean guests, including Andong City Council chairman Keon Gi Ik and other members, were in Bacolod for a four-day benchmarking trip. The delegation enjoyed a special performance by the 2023 MassKara Festival Street Dance and Arena Competition champions, Barangay Granada dancers, at the Paglaum Sports Complex. Councilor Em Ang, chair of the City Council's committee on history, culture, and arts, mentioned that the visit included an exchange of ideas on mask festivals. Andong City is renowned for its annual Andong Mask Dance Festival and is the headquarters of the International Mask and Culture Organization (IMACO). In previous years, cultural exchanges included MassKara Festival dancers performing at the Andong Mask Dance Festival and Bacolod hosting the IMACO International Conference, featuring over 400 masks from 22 countries.