Bacolod mayor: Presence of President Duterte makes 37th MassKara ‘historic, unforgettable’
by Philippines News Agency
October 3, 2016
BACOLOD CITY — Mayor Evelio Leonardia said on Sunday the 37th MassKara Festival is unique, historic, and unforgettable because President Rodrigo R. Duterte came to join the Bacolodnons for the opening of the 23-day festivities.
Visiting this city for the first time since he won the presidency, Duterte led the opening rites held at the public plaza.
image: http://www.mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Masskara-Festival-of-Bacolod.jpg
Masskara Festival of Bacolod
Before thousands of Bacolodnons and their city officials, the President, after his speech, declared, “By virtue of the power transferred by your mayor to me, I now pronounce before you and to the world that the MassKara Festival begins now. Mabuhay ang mga Ilonggo sa Bacolod.”
President Duterte was initially scheduled to arrive here Saturday, but his visit was moved to Sunday since he just arrived from his visit to Vietnam Friday night.
The MassKara is the first Philippine festival that the President declared open since he was elected to Malacañang.
He described MassKara as one of the more colorful festivities in the Philippines.
In response, Leonardia said: “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much.”
National officials who joined the President on stage were Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Clint Aranas, Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jesus Hinlo, and Presidential Adviser for the Visayas Michael Dino.
Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Third District Rep. Alfredo Benitez were also present.
Moreover, Leonardia said that for 37 years, the Bacolodnons have embraced and nurtured the MassKara which has grown into proportions beyond wildest dreams, and expectations.
He added that the MassKara has become more than just a major tourism attraction.
It is a reflection of the Bacolodnons’ capacity to survive, zest for life, and never ending spirit of optimism, the mayor said.
Leonardia also said the MassKara, amid its color, pageantry and fun, serves as a reunion and homecoming for the people of Bacolod.
Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/bacolod-mayor-presence-of-president-duterte-makes-37th-masskara-historic-unforgettable/#DukLeFIkUA7rB2eb.99
Philippines' Duterte apologizes to Jewish community after Nazi remark
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte apologized "profoundly and deeply" to the Jewish community on Sunday, and said his references to the Holocaust while discussing his war on drugs were to hit back at critics who had likened him to Adolf Hitler.
Duterte said he recognized the comments made in the early hours of Friday had caused outrage among Jewish communities around the world, but he insisted his mention of the Nazi leader was to show how opponents had sought to portray him.
"I would like to make it now, here and now, that there was never an intention on my part to derogate the memory of the six million Jews murdered," he said in a speech at a festival carried live on television.
"The reference to me was, I was supposedly Hitler, who killed many people."
He added: "I apologize profoundly and deeply to the Jewish community ... it was never my intention, but the problem was I was criticized, using Hitler comparing to me."
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