This Week in Bacolod (March 25 to 31, 2018)

The week will start with rainy weather. Rain showers are in the forecast from Holy Monday to Wednesday. However, there will be great weather during the holiday. Mostly cloudy skies with a low chance of rain showers will be experienced in Bacolod City from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. Minimum temperature will be at 24 °C (75.2 °F), while maximum temperature will be at 33 °C (89.6 °F). Tourists and locals can enjoy the holiday as they can visit some notable destinations in Negros Occidental. It is advisable to bring bottled water to be fully hydrated, whatever the weather conditions.

There will be less traffic this Holy Week in the Bacolod City. The flood control project of the government is now near completion and students will not be commuting anymore since classes are already over. This holiday, families will be out of town or will spend a staycation in observance of Lenten season, so motorists can expect the roads in the metro to be clear of traffic. There will be a few public utility vehicles that will be operating to cater to shoppers, but it will not fill the streets unlike Holy Week in the past years.

During the Holy Week, Catholic Filipinos practice Daniel Fast or no-meat fasting. Daniel Fast is a spiritually motivated diet where believers only eat fish, fruits, or vegetables in celebration of the Lenten season. Since the population of Bacolod City are predominantly Catholics, it is expected that fish and vegetables will be in demand. Because of this, there will most likely be price increases and limited supplies of the said goods during the holiday. Thus, it is better to buy these essentials ahead of time.

Tourists who are looking to visit centuries-old churches in the province should brace for large crowds. Believers are expected to flock to Catholic churches on March 25, Palm Sunday and March 29, Maundy Thursday for the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. On March 30, there will be processions in every parish in the province. It is advisable to avoid roads near major churches to avoid traffic congestion during the holiday.

All major malls in Bacolod City will be closed during March 29 to 30 in celebration of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. There will be regular mall hours on Holy Monday to Wednesday and Black Saturday and Easter Sunday. When shopping, it is recommended to buy items one needs before Maundy Thursday to avoid lack of supplies during the Lenten Season.

People working from different parts of the country will now take the chance to go home because of the long weekend. Traditionally, ferries and airlines are fully booked even before Holy Wednesday. Tourists who plan to spend Holy Week vacation in the City of Smiles are advised to book their flights early to secure seats. People who are coming from Iloilo and nearby islands who plan to travel by boat are advised to reserve tickets earlier as well to avoid fare increase during this season.

Major hotels in Bacolod City are also almost fully booked. Tourists are advised to check the availability of their accommodation because spaces are already running out. Meanwhile, resorts and other summer destinations in Negros are still open for tourists to enjoy.