Wattah Wattah Festival in the Philippines

The basaan or “Wattah Wattah” Festival commemorates the city's patron saint and namesake, St. John the Baptist, with the usual parade of firetrucks drenching boisterous residents in water meant to invoke the frequent baptisms he was said to have performed in the Jordan River. Along with the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, John the Baptist’s birthday is the only one celebrated; most other saints are remembered on the day of their death or some other important date.

Children and grown-ups alike line up the streets and generously douse passersby or unsuspecting commuters and visitors with water, with the traditional basaan (wetting of water) or buhusan (dousing of water)- supposedly to remind them of their baptism. Older persons my fill their ancient coconut shells with perfumed water to sprinkle on passersby.

Filipinos from different parts of the country celebrate this feast in various ways. Four of the most popular celebrations can be witnessed in Balayan, Batangas, Calumpit, Bulacan, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, Cavite City, Cavite and in San Juan, Metro Manila.