Five entries of the Bacolod City tourism entries were named finalists for the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) Pearl Awards 2026 under the Highly Urbanized City category.
They will advance to the Final Panel Interview for the annual awards, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The city’s finalist entries are the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival 2025: Fire and Fusion for Best Event Hosting (Local); Bacolod’s MassKara Festival 2025 for Best Tourism Event: Cultural Festival; MassKaralympics 2025 for Best Sports Tourism Event; Bacolod City Slow Food Terra Madre Asia and Pacific for Best Event Hosting (International); and Bacolod City: Your Pocket Guide to Experience the City of Smiles for Best Tourism Promotions: Brochure.
The five entries were selected from 201 national finalists chosen out of 606 entries submitted nationwide across 15 categories this year, underscoring the strength of Bacolod’s tourism showing against a wider field of contenders from across the country.
Mayor Greg Gasataya shared the news during the flag ceremony at the Bacolod City Government Center Monday, recalling the city’s wins in last year’s edition of the awards, where the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival (“Inasal Global”) took the Grand Winner trophy for Best Event Hosting (Local), while the MassKara Festival (“The Sapphire Celebration”) placed 1st runner-up for Best Cultural Festival.
“Last year, we won as grand winner sa Best Event Hosting sa Bacolod Chicken Inasal, and 1st runner-up sa Best Cultural Festival sa MassKara. Congratulations gid, the support of the city will always be there,” Gasataya said.*
[sibwp_form id=1]