MassKara Performer Complains of Disrespect from Barangay
KJ DELA TORRE — A MassKara dancer took to social media to express his frustration after his group was allegedly maltreated by a barangay (village) in Bacolod City following the 2025 MassKara Festival. In a lengthy post, he said they felt disrespected and disappointed after being locked out of their assigned quarters, despite being part of the team that represented the barangay in the competition.
According to KJ, their group helped bring the barangay’s performance to life—they were the dancers, and the costume designer also came from their team. However, after the competition, when they went out to eat and relax before returning to rest, they discovered that they were no longer allowed to enter or stay in the barangay’s quarters.
He said some members of the group had come from faraway towns such as Isabela and Kabankalan, yet they were still turned away with nowhere to sleep. KJ described the experience as “heartbreaking and humiliating,” adding that one of the barangay security officers even spoke to them rudely and told them they had no right to complain since they were not residents of the area.
The performer clarified that his post was not meant to seek attention but to express their disappointment over how they were treated after all their hard work. He emphasized that they were not trying to tarnish the barangay’s reputation but were deeply hurt by the lack of respect and consideration shown to them.
KJ added that their group had not yet received their talent fee, which was why they hadn’t gone home immediately after the event. Despite this, they remained patient and did not complain about the delay. He said they only wanted to enjoy the last part of the celebration before heading home, but instead, they were met with rejection and disrespect.
The post quickly gained sympathy from netizens, who condemned the alleged mistreatment and called for greater respect and appreciation for performers who travel long distances to bring life and energy to festivals like MassKara.
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