Bocaue celebrates the Pagoda Festival

A grand fluvial parade was held in Bocaue, Bulacan on Sunday as part of the annual celebration of the town's Pagoda Festival.

According to a report by Rida Reyes on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, residents and devotees gathered to witness the colorful parade on the Bocaue River, where the Holy Cross of Wawa was believed to have been found floating during the Spanish period.

The Bocaue fluvial parade had only recently been revived due to the 1993 tragedy in which 300 lives were lost.

During the 2014 parade, only 150 to 200 participants were allowed to ride the pagoda to prevent any further mishap.

This year, residents watched the parade from a nearby bridge; others used their own boats and sailed alongside the giant pagoda. — Dona Magsino/DVM, GMA New