BACOLOD, The City that Sugar Built

Much has been said about Bacolod City -- Sugar Capital of the Philippines, City of Smiles, Convention Center of the South and Window to Negros Occidental. But really, it's the city that sugar built!

Bacolod has been the capital city of Negros Occidental since 1848. From a mere settlement of 5,000 Negritos in the 'buklods' (hills) in 1750, the city has quickly grown into a developing metropolis of more than 500 thousand people.

The city bears many exceptional titles to its name. In 1984, it was classified a highly urbanized city. Twelve years after, the DILG proclaimed it as one of the Most Outstanding Cities in the Philippines. The center of trade, commerce and industry in Negros Occidental also bagged the ''Cleanest and Greenets Highly Urbanized City" in 1997 and 1998.

By air, it is approximately 55 minutes from Manila and 30 minutes from Cebu City. By sea, it is a 19 to 20-hour cruise from Manila and 55 minutes from Iloilo's sea crafts.

SUGAR CAPITAL
Most people love sugar. Even diabetics love sugar, which is why sweeteners are invented. In this regard is Bacolod a favorite too. It offers a break from the pressures of the metropolis with its lush and green countryside while advocating the sophisticated life with its own distinct pulse of a highly urbanized city.

For many years, Bacolod City has impressed a rather high standard of living. After all, this is the city that sugar built! It was once the country's biggest sugar producer back in the days when sugar barons owned large trasts of land and the "genteel" life was truly defined.

The remaining iron dinosaurs and steel dragons (railroad trains) are the survivors that continue to tell the tale of the heyday of the sugar barons. They proudly stand in their glorious splendor as reminders of the opulent days of the sugar industry -- back when sugarcane harvests were bountiful and the affluent owned domains as far as the eye can see.

One of these steel dragons now stands in the Negros National Museum. Donated by Victoria's Sugar Company, it is one of the reminiscences of the sugar commerce's salad days.

However, the halcyon days of the sugar magnates came to an end in the 1980's. The sugar industry swiftly declines and tycoons lost their lands piece by piece. Later, in an effort to recover economically, they entered the aquaculture trade. But millions of investments were lost in the prawn culture. As if to compound their crises, the passenger vessel M/V Don Juan sank carrying on board most of the prominent families of Bacolod.


MASSKARA FESTIVA L
Sad times indeed for Bacolod. But not even the darkest of days can take away the Bacolodnon's warm, gregarious and optimistic nature.

The Bacolodnons broke free of their misery when a group of artists introduced to the city government a festival patterned after the Mardi Gras of Rio de Janeiro. It was easily accepted by the public and gave a boost to its ailing tourism industry. The artists made mas ks that illustrated their feelings. And most came up with big, big smiles on their masks.

The Masskara festival, as it is aptly called, has since become an annual affair that displayed smiling masks in different colors and shapes. 'Mass' meant masses while 'Kara' meant face, thus, the annual celebration of the Face of the Masses -- wide smiles that characterize the cheerful nature of the Bacolodnons, which in turn is the city's ultimate charm. The festival is a reminder of how the Bacolodnons smiled their way through the great depression of the 80's in an effort to mask their difficulties.

Until now, the Masskara festival is still being held annually in this City of Smiles. Though no longer trying to boost the tourism industry of the city or mask its grief, the Masskara festival remains reflective of the Bacolodnon's identity.

More than a yearly cultural activity, the Masskara festival has also been a showcase of artistry by th residents of Bacolod City. Many locals have emerged as unparalleled choreographers, directors and event organizers with the annual pomp and pageantry.

WINDOW TO NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
The best way to explore Negros is through the city of Bacolod. Make sure to visit the Negros National Museum where the history of Negros unfolds before one's very eyes. From the early inhabitants called Negritos (where the name of the island also came from) to the golden years of the sugar industry and its present booming status.

The museum is housed in a two-level ancient structure that was once inhabited by prominent figures in Negrense history. It was built from 1925 to 1927 using up to P650, 000. In it lies a comprehensive yet brief history of Negros.

I have visited many museums in the Philippines. It is one of the first stops when you are called to report about a place and its culture. And I must say that the museum of Negros is one of the most interesting museums I have been to.

It opens to a forest-like exhibit depicting the land of the Negritos long before Legazpi discovered it on April 1, 1565. It also offers a peek through the sugar industry in the 1800's when the trade started which was then limited only to exportation.

From this I learned the different kinds of sugars and saw one of the most primeval sugar mill, the infamous 'kawa'. There is also a Lilliputian figure of the Casa de Haciendero, used by the sugar barons during their prime. It is a big house without a room but a watch tower from where the hacienderos watch their workers on the plantation.

The museum also houses the nine different colors of mud only found in Negros Occidental. From these colors arose the Mambucal Mudpack festival held every summer.

Another point of interest in the museum is the image of the Church of Ginigararan and its ancient church bell made up of one thousand two hundred Spanish coins. Also not to be overlooked is an ancient boat filled with goods which used to be bartered with the locals in the ancient days.

PASALUBONG
Bacolod City is the sweet tooth's paradise. With sugar being the primary product, how can one go wrong? To name a few, there's the much-coveted piyaya from P20.00 up; the barquillos in many size, colors and flavors; pie; tarts; and of late, the butterscotch squares.

As for handicraft needs, The Showroom tops the list of souvenir shops. It was created by the wives of sugar planters during the crisis in the 1980's, another showcase of the Bacolodnon's optimistic nature.

By whatever name -- Sugar Capital, City of Smiles, Convention Center of the South and Window to Negros Occidental -- such titles associated with Bacolod City suits everyody's mood when they're here. And that is -- just like sugar.

Text by: Chared Q. Ballo
Photo's by: Carlo Leonardia, Reuel Mark Delez, Tet Nacar, Marvin Maning

Movie about the Masskara festival

Photo's from Bacolod