ASEAN COMMITTEE IN RABAT JOINS THE VIRTUAL MASSKARA FESTIVAL

As part of the Department’s initiative to showcase Philippine festivals, culture, and traditions to our global audience, the Philippine Embassy in Rabat invited the members of the working group of the ASEAN Committee in Rabat (ACR) to the virtual MassKara Festival on 30 October 2021.

The participants enjoyed watching the performance of MassKara festival dancers while learning the story behind the annual celebration of the city of smiles which embodies the Filipino people’s resilience amidst the sugar industry crisis in the 1980s.

They were also given the opportunity to unleash their creativity by decorating their own masskara, and to savor delicacies from Bacolod City such as piaya, biscocho, otap, and muscovado sugar. Finally, the ACR participants commended the Philippines for its initiative to revive the tourism industry through programs such as the Fiesta Filipinas and for providing an excellent model of organizing cultural events in the new normal. The online event encouraged them to visit the Philippines and experience the festivals when travel conditions are more favorable.

The virtual MassKara Festival was organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). END