San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora announced the final arrangements and amended guidelines for the upcoming Wattah Wattah Festival.
The Wattah Wattah Festival, particularly in 2024, was drenched with criticism due to the actions of some San Juaneños that crossed the line from fun to aggressive—and, in some cases, hostile.
To prevent this from happening again, the San Juan City Council introduced several changes to this year’s festivities. One of these is the designation of a “Basaan Zone.”
Situated in the historic Pinaglabanan—where the St. John the Baptist Parish and the city’s town hall are located—the Basaan Zone will be limited to Pinaglabanan Road, from P. Guevarra Street to N. Domingo Street, and will be secured by 300 police officers.
A fine of five thousand pesos (₱5,000) and possible imprisonment will be imposed on anyone caught wetting others outside the designated area. In the case of minors, they will be turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office, and their parents or guardians will be held liable and fined the same amount.
In addition, Zamora announced that the dousing will begin at 7:00 AM and end at 2:00 PM—an extension from the previous 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM schedule. A citywide liquor ban will also be enforced throughout the day.
