Strict basaan zone for next year — San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora

In the wake of an unruly Wattah-Wattah Festival in San Juan City, its mayor Francis Zamora vows changes for better crowd control, including limiting the annual basaan to an area around City Hall and improved law enforcement.

The 6’5” former La Salle player also talks about the surprising transfer of Ateneo star Mason Amos to his alma mater.

HOWIE: Magandang araw, podmates. Howie Severino muli na nagpapaalala na nakakatalino ang mahabang attention span.

Ang guest natin ngayon ay ang alkalde ng San Juan City sa Metro Manila kung saan naganap kamakailan ang Wattah Wattah Festival. Ang kilalang basaan sa kalye na nauwi sa mga reklamo at kaguluhan.

Humingi na ng paumanhin si Mayor Francis Zamora at magpapatupad daw siya ng mga reporma para hindi na maulit. Ipapaliwanag niya sa atin maya-maya. Pero batiin ko muna. Magandang araw, Mayor Francis Zamora.

ZAMORA: Yes, magandang araw, Howie. At una, ako'y nagpapasalamat sa pag-imbita sa iyong podcast. I'm very excited to be part of this. I just want you to know that ever since I was young, I have looked up to you. So it's an honor to be your guest today.

HOWIE: Well, thank you. The honor is ours. Maraming-maraming salamat po.

So nasa balita ang San Juan because of the Wattah Wattah Festival recently. But before we go into what happened, kasi maraming tao siguro sa bansa na maaaring ngayon lang narinig itong Wattah Wattah Festival. So kaunting background lang, Mayor.

ZAMORA: Okay. Howie, just to give everyone a background, San Juan del Monte ang pinagmulan ng aming pangalan. At ito ay dahil ipinangalan kami sa ating patron na si San Juan Bautista, which just for everyone's information, noong June 24, 2024 lamang or two weeks ago, officially po talaga tinanghal na patron namin si San Juan Bautista.

Ngayon po, for those who are familiar with the biblical history, si St. John the Baptist po ang nagbinyag kay Hesukristo. At dahil po sa pagbibinyag na 'yan ay ang naging paraan ng selebrasyon ng aming kapistahan na mula noon pa, literal na talagang mga dekada na nakaraan, ay ang basaan.

So ito ay isang bagay na aking nakalakihan rin. Ako po'y ipinanganak sa San Juan, December 5, 1977. At all my 46 years, I have lived here in San Juan. So bata pa lang po ako, nangyayari na 'yung basaan. 'Yan ay kinagisnan ko na ho at kinagishan ng marami sa aming lungsod.

Ito'y isang tradisyon na taun-taon ay ipinagdiriwang sa aming lungsod at nakasanayan na talaga ng mga San Juaneño. So that is the background.
And in previous years, it has evolved into the Wattah Wattah Festival. So dati ho kasi, purely basaan lang. But now, na-incorporate na ho riyan 'yung iba't ibang mga activity such as the Santong Tao Parade.

'Yung Santong Tao Parade, Howie, 'yan ay parada ng mga barangay kung saan dine-depict ang buhay ni St. John the Baptist. At bahagi rin ng ating selebrasyon ay 'yung street dancing competition naman.

So every June 24, you will see that mayroon pong kaming basaan, mayroon kaming Santong Tao Parade at mayroon po tayong street dancing competition.

Ngayon, noong panahon ng COVID-19, Howie, hindi ho natin nagawa ang Wattah Wattah Festival because of restrictions, because of limitations in terms of activities allowed. At nagawa lamang natin ito nu'ng ako'y mayor noong 2019 to 2024. Just to backtrack, noong 2019 naging mayor ako, pero 'yung June 24, 2019, ay hindi pa ako officially mayor noon kasi June 30 po nagsimula ang term ko.

Ang unang fiesta ko talaga ay 2020, ngunit COVID noon. 2021, COVID din. 2022, COVID pa, pero dahil mataas na po ang vaccination rate ng San Juan, ay nagdesisyon kaming magkaroon ng Wattah Wattha, although not as big as previous years.

2023, namatay po ang aming vice mayor, kaya hindi ho kami nagkaroon ng Wattah Wattah. At ganoon din during that time, mayroon kasing El Niño, so nagdesisyon kami na huwag muna ituloy. Itong 2024, two weeks ago, ay natuloy siya.

So 'yan po ang context ng Wattah Wattah sa ilalim ng ating pamumuno as mayor. Dalawang beses pa lamang natin ito nagawa as mayor. But in previous years, ginagawa na talaga ito. 'Yung mga nakaraang mayor po, 'yung mga nakaraang administration, talagang ginagawa na ito.

HOWIE: Okay, Mayor, like you said, kauupo niyo lang noong 2019, tapos nagpandemya, hindi natuloy. And then, last year nga dahil si El Niño, and then nagluluksa ang bayan, kaya hindi rin tinuloy. So this is really the first big basaan or Wattah Wattah Festival under your term, 'no?

ZAMORA: That's correct.

HOWIE: Many people have already seen the viral videos, and then may alam natin na may mga kinasuhan, may mga nagreklamo, et cetera. And you've promised that it won't happen again. Magkakaroon ng reform. But if you were going to plan this again, what would you have done differently? Kasi mukhang naging out of control 'yung crowd.

ZAMORA: Okay, Howie, ito 'no, for everyone to understand the context of the celebration. Ang nature kasi niya, Howie, ay talagang prone sa kaguluhan. What do I mean?
For many decades already, 'pag June 24, dito sa San Juan, ang nakasanayan ng tao ay basaan. That means, parang nakatatak sa kanilang isipan na sa amin, sa amin lahat dito sa San Juan, na, "Oh, June 24 ngayon, basaan." So 'yung nambabasa ng mga dumaraan, 'yung mga motorista, ano 'yan, eh, kumbaga nakasanayan 'yan.

And again, 'yung ganitong nature ng celebration ay prone sa kaguluhan. Kasi mayroon at mayroong mababasa na ayaw mabasa. Mayroon at mayroong mga pedestrian, mga passersby, mga motorista, both sa mga kotse at sa mga motor na mababasa na labag sa kanilang kalooban.

At 'yun ang naging nature ng ating kapistahan. Kaya nga po, after analyzing what happened last June 24, nagdesisyon na po ako na once and for all, baguhin po ang paraan kung paano ipagdiwang ang aming kapistahan. Sapagkat mayroon at mayroong mga mamamayan na ayaw naman mabasa. Ngunit dahil dito sila nagtatrabaho, dito sila nag-aaral, o napapadaan lang sa aming mga kalye ay nababasa sila.

At kadalasan, dito nagsisimula ang kaguluhan. Halimbawa, mayroong napadaan lang, binasa, o pinilit basain, nagalit, gumanti at nag-away. So 'yun, very prone talaga siya. I mean, let's face the reality na the very nature of the Wattah Wattah Festival is so prone to all of these kinds of disruption and disturbance.

Kaya nga, once and for all, Howie, nagdesisyon po ako na mag-designate na lang po ng isang basaan zone. 'Yung basaan zone natin, dito po 'yan sa Pinaglabanan Road in between N. Domingo and P. Guevarra Streets. So basically, in front of our government center, in front of City Hall, in front of Pinaglabanan Shrine. Ito lamang ang stretch ng kalye na puwedeng magbasaan starting next year pagdating ng aming kapistahan.

In this way, kung gusto mo talagang makipagbasaan dahil fiesta ang San Juan, papasok ka sa basaan zone. Meaning, if you want to celebrate with us by way of basaan, 'yung mayroong mga fire trucks, mayroong mga tao may mga water gun, papasok ka rito sa basaan zone. We will close the stretch of Pinaglabanan Road from N. Domingo to P. Guevarra and we will make this our basaan zone.

All Wattah Wattah and basaan related activities will happen here. Now, outside of this basaan zone, totally bawal po magbasaan para 'yung mga taong ayaw mabasa, gusto lamang dumaan sa aming mga kalye, papasok sa trabaho, papasok sa eskuwela ay hindi na sila madamay. At alam ninyo, it's very hard really to change what people have been used to.

Minsan nga lang kami hindi nagkaroon ng basaan, nalulungkot 'yung tao, hinahanap-hanap talaga. So talagang para sa akin, itong nangyaring kaguluhan ay naging blessing na rin dahil naging malaking pagkakataon para once and for all baguhin ang paraan o sistema ng aming piyesta.

Nu'ng ini-announce ko na mayroon na lang basaan zone, wala nang umaangal. Dahil nakita nila na "Oo nga, tama nga si Mayor." 'Yung mga piyesta natin nu'ng nakaraan, 'yung previous years, previous decades, nangyayari na ito, Howie. Everyone knows, everyone in San Juan knows, everyone who ever passed San Juan on June 24 in the previous years, previous decades, alam nila na mayroon at mayroong kaguluhan, mayroong mga mag-aaway dahil nga mapadaan ka lang ng San Juan, babasain ka.

So to avoid this from happening again, ay totally bawal na po mambasa outside the basaan zone. So if you are passing through Aurora Boulevard or Ortigas Avenue or Blumentritt or any of the streets in San Juan, outside the basaan zone, wala na dapat mambasa sa inyo. At kung mayroon man, sila ay agad-agad papatawan ng multa dahil bawal 'yan.

But we will also, of course, ensure na sa June 24 sa susunod na taon, talagang maraming pulis. Sabi ko nga sa aking chief of police pagkatapos itong pangyayari, sabi ko, "Next year, we will make sure na talagang napakaraming pulis upang siguraduhin 'yung apprehension."

Bakit mahirap nitong hulihin? Dahil hindi naman bawal mambasa. See? So paano manghuhuli 'yung pulis na hindi naman technically bawal ang mambasa. If you look at our ordinance, ano ang bawal dito? Bawal 'yung sapilitang pagbubukas ng sasakyan. Bawal 'yung pagyanig ng mga kotse. Yes, bawal 'yan. Through the ordinance, bawal 'yan.
Kaya lang may mga gray area, Howie. May mga gray area or tinatawag nating loopholes. 'Yung 2018 ordinance na aming papalakasin din.
Halimbawa, nakalagay bawal ang sapilitang pagbubukas ng sasakyan para mambasa. E, paano kung motor? Wala namang pinto 'yan, 'di ba?

That is an example of a loophole, Howie, that we are now addressing. Note also, Howie, na 2018 ordinance 'yan. Hindi pa ako mayor niyan, Howie. Previous mayor pa 'yan nu'ng napasa 'yan. Ibig sabihin, nangyayari na nga dati 'yan kaya nga may multa para diyan dahil nangyayari na dati. That is the exact objective of the 2018 ordinance na to penalize those who violate fiesta or basaan guidelines.

Also, let's face the reality na 'yung social media siyempre iba na ngayon. 'Yung mga video na nagvi-viral. So mas nagci-circulate, mas naha-highlight. But again, dati na talagang nangyayari 'yan, except that during those years, 'yung wala pa mga TikTok. Wala pa.

HOWIE: Yeah, yeah.

ZAMORA: But again, I'm not giving any excuses. I have said already and I will say it again that I take full responsibility for what happened. We are addressing the situation. We have filed cases already against those who have violated the Revised Penal Code and even our ordinance. And most importantly, mayroon na tayong maliwanag na pagbabago na gagawin sa susunod na taon at 'yung mga taong darating pa sa ating kapistahan.

HOWIE: Okay, Mayor. I just want to clarify for our audience. Baka nagtataka ano ba talaga 'yung nangyayari. As far as I know and perhaps what others know, wala naman serious injuries ang naganap. I mean, I think what I saw on all these videos is may nanuntok ng nambasa and may nagreklamo na rider. So may kaunting ganong alitan.

'Yung karamihan ng complaints were from students na nabasa 'yung laptop, 'yung thesis nila, 'yung papasok sa trabaho, nabasa 'yung damit nila, et cetera. So it was a real, I would say, disturbance ng mga ordinaryong tao na hindi naman kasama sa piyesta.

But you said na magkakaroon ng zone. I want to ask you, kasi kinansela n'yo last year. Did you consider maybe just canceling the whole festival? Is it really worth the risk na maaaring sa susunod baka magkaroon nga ng serious injury? Kasi nga, nagkaroon na nga ng ganitong mga insidente this year.

ZAMORA: Okay. Howie, ito, also for you and the viewers to understand, hinahanap-hanap kasi ito ng mga San Juaneño dahil nakasanayan na ng aming lungsod, so for many years, for many decades, ginagawa ito. Like what you mentioned, saan ba nagkaproblema 'yung mga estudyanteng dumadaan, nababasa, nababasa ang kanilang laptops, ang mga cellphone. 'Yan ay dahil citywide pa ang basaan.

Now, it will not be citywide anymore. So kung mayroon mang mga estudyante na daraan sa aming lungsod, alam nila na hindi sila dapat dumaan sa basaan zone.

Ang basaan zone natin ay maliit na kapiraso lang na kalye. Ang Pinaglabanan Road ay maiksing kalye, lalo na in between N. Domingo at P. Gueavarra. That's just a few hundred meters stretch, 'no? Hindi 'yan ganu'n kahaba kaya hindi siya magiging malaking epekto sa mga motorista dahil napakaraming ibang kalye na puwedeng daanan.

It will not mean na makaka-traffic or madi-disrupt 'yung daanan ng mga sasakyan dahil napakaraming ibang puwedeng daanang kalye sa amin. Now, next year, 'yung mga papasok sa eskuwela, papasok sa trabaho, kung dadaan sila ng Aurora Boulevard, wala silang dapat alalahanin dahil 'yan ay outside the basaan zone at walang magiging basaan diyan.

Again, we will deploy police more than the usual. So again, that will also be a part of our plan na 'yung bilang ng pulis mas dadamihan pa. Hihingi na kami ng augmentation sa Eastern Police District, Howie, to ensure na talagang sobra-sobrang pulis sa mga darating na taon kasi ayaw nga natin magkaroon ng ganitong kaguluan.

Pangalawa, I will formally write Malacañang, Howie, para ma-declare na holiday ang June 24 sa susunod na taon. Only Malacañang and Congress have the power to declare a holiday. Hindi po 'yan power vested in a mayor. Kung holiday po kasi, that means walang pasok, walang trabaho.

So again, 'yung San Juan mas magkakaroon ng less chances na mayroong mga ayaw mabasa na mababasa dahil nga holiday. But again, that's not within my power kasi as a mayor so we will have to write Malacañang for this. And we will, of course, cite 'yung itong naging experience natin as one of the reasons why we will be requesting for a holiday.

So ito 'yung mga bagay na aming gagawin. In fact, on the onset of all of these problems, all of these incidents, talagang I sat down with our fellow city government officials. Ina-analyze naming mabuti ano ba ang nangyari. At pinakamahalaga, anong dapat gawin para hindi na ito mangyari muli.

Again, I sincerely apologize to everyone that was affected by our celebration. Ako'y humihingi na paumanhin. I take full responsibility and assure everyone that this will not happen again.

HOWIE: Okay. Mayor, the command responsibility is honorable. But I want to refer to what you said earlier na talagang nangyayari ito in the past. But one of your predecessors couldn't help but post on his Facebook. Si dating Mayor JV Ejercito, who was your predecessor for nine years na umupo rin siya sa San Juan.

Basically, ang sinasabi niya ay pinaghirapan niyang ayusin ang Wattah Wattah Festival. Sabi niya, ipinagbawal na niya 'yung pagbabasa ng mga passersby at mga papasok sa trabaho. And basically, 'yung conclusion niya is to quote from his Facebook page, "Marahil ay nagkulang sa preparasyon at pagpapaalala."

As you mentioned, it was your first big Wattah Wattah Festival. So it's understandable na maaaring ngang nagkulang sa preparasyon. But ano 'yung response niyo riyan? Kasi parang ang sinasabi niyo ay kulang sa rules pero ang sinasabi ni Senator dating Mayor Ejercito is may rules na, hindi lang sinunod.

ZAMORA: Okay, Howie. Unang-una, I don't expect Senator Ejercito to ever say anything good about Mayor Francis Zamora or our makabagong San Juan. Expected naman 'yan. Kailanman mula nang ako'y naging mayor, ni isang beses wala naman siyang sinabing maganda tungkol sa amin. And expected 'yan kasi siyempre, kumbaga after 50 years, Howie, nawala ang kanilang pamilya sa aming lungsod.

When I came in in 2019, na-wipe out ang kanilang pamilya in terms of the political landscape here in San Juan. So nandiyan talaga 'yung grudge nilang lahat sa akin. Expected ko naman 'yan, 'di ba? Dahil 'yung nakasanayan nilang 50 years ay ngayon, tapos na. So I don't really expect him to say anything good about us. In fact, just to share with you, three times na po akong naging topic ng isang privilege speech niya sa Senado.

So obviously, talagang lahat ng oportunidad, lahat ng pagkakataon na tirahin ako, tinitira niya ako. At expected na 'yan. But in all instances, nasasagot ko naman 'yung kaniyang mga paratang. Ngayon, pagdating ko dito, 2018 'yung ordinance na active or the existing one. That was the time of his mother. So 'yung sinasabing mga bawal...

HOWIE: Si Mayor Guia Gomez, 'no?

ZAMORA: Yes, correct. So 'yung sinasabing bawal ganito, bawal ganito, if you look at the ordinance, walang nakalagay bawal mambasa ng tao. So 'yun nga. 'Yun 'yung mga loophole na nakikita natin du'n sa 2018 ordinance. That is why, because of what happened, aamyendahan natin ito, papalakasin natin, babaguhin. In fact, lahat ng loopholes, lahat ng gray areas ay aayusin natin. Because the fact is, kulang siya ng ngipin. Maraming loopholes.

Gaya ng sinabi ko, wala naman nakalagay bawal mambasa ng nakamotor. Nakalagay bawal sapilitang magbukas ng sasakyan. Paano kung nakamotor? Paano kung naglalakad? Hindi siya specified talaga. So maraming mga loopholes ang ordinance. So we will strengthen it.

And, in general kasi, citywide 'yung basaan. So mayroon at mayroon talagang nananahimik lang, naglalakad lang, dumaraan lang, nagmomotor lang, na mababasa at mababasa dahil hindi naman bawal 'yung mambasa. Pero ngayon, dahil bawal na mambasa outside the basaan zone, it is now going to be a clear violation.

Dati kasi, walang violation. Mayroon ba sa Revised Penal Code, nakalagay bawal na mambasa? So again, kung pumasok naman ito sa any of the existing violations from the Revised Penal Code, this will requie a private complainant, magpa-file ng kaso sa Prosecutor's Office and everything, which in two instances, itong huli, ay nangyari.

Mayroong dalawang private complainant, nag-file ng complaint. 'Yung isa, personal po natin sinamahan, nag-file siya ng unjust fixation at slander. Mayroon at mayroon naman tayong mga nasampahan ng kaso. 'Yung iba naman kasi, mga minor. So again, the law prohibits you from filing a case against minors.

We analyzed the nature of Wattah Wattah and we all agreed na the very nature is very prone to these kinds of disruption and disturbance. So 'yung mismong pinagmumulan ng kaguluhan ang babaguhin natin, Howie. Kung mayroon na lang tayong basaan zone at pumasok ka sa basaan zone na 'yun, that means gusto mong mabasa. Gusto mong makipagbasaan, gusto mong maki-celebrate sa amin. Ginusto mo 'yun, pumasok ka roon. Hindi ka namin pinilit pumasok sa basaan zone.

So expect that inside the basaan zone, diyan mangyayari 'yung basaan, diyan mayroon mga fire truck, diyan may mga water gun. And no one should complain because you freely entered the basaan zone. Now, outside the basaan zone naman, Howie, diyan bawal. At 'yung mga pulis natin, antimano, 'pag makita nila may mambasa, huli agad 'yan because clear violation na 'yan.

Wala ka ng interpretation na kailangan pang gawin ng ordinansa o ng batas. Dahil defined na ng ordinance na aming gagawin na bago na bawal mambasa outside the basaan zone.

HOWIE: Okay, Mayor. Malinaw na may maayos na plano for next year. But I want to zoom out a little bit sa big picture beyond the Wattah Wattah Festival.

I just want to ask you. Naging varsity basketball player ka noong college, La Salle, I guess you went to Greenhills first before Taft?

Anyway, lumabas ka sa balita na, I mean, it's just a small tidbit, 'no? Kasi 'yung balita ngayon sa UAAP na nag-transfer itong star player na big man ng Ateneo Blue Eagles na si Mason Amos na inaasahan na magde-deliver, tutulong sa pag-deliver ng title ulit sa Loyola Heights, lumipat sa La Salle, 'yung arch rival ng Ateneo. And then biglaan, 'no? Pati 'ata 'yung coach nagulat, Coach ng Ateneo.

And then, when you read accounts, parang binibigyan ka ng credit ni Mason na, of course, you are a former varsity La Salle player. You played with... You're a champion sa La Salle. And then sabi ni Mason, "The mayor and I had a really good talk. And it helped me decide where I want to be in the next couple of years." I mean, what's your side of this, mayor? Did you actively try to pirate Mason?

ZAMORA: No, definitely not. Sige. Howie, ganito 'no. Ito, this is the first time I've ever been asked officially, 'no? Maraming unofficial questions sa akin. Pero ito, I will consider as an official question and consider this as an official answer. Sabihin ko sa iyo, Howie, 'no?

I've only met Mason Amos once. And that was about maybe three, four weeks ago. I was in Greenhills, I was having dinner, biglang dumating siya. Nakilala ko siya for the first time. Of course, kilala ko siya, kilala ko siya because magaling na player. I idolize him because he shoots very well.

HOWIE: He's a big man like you. I think he's 6'7". Mas matangkad pa sa iyo.

ZAMORA: He's 6'7", but shoots from the three-point area very well, 'no?

HOWIE: A modern big man.

ZAMORA: Correct. Modern big man. And I honestly consider him as a very, very good basketball player. And true enough, nasa Gilas siya ngayon, kasama ng Philippine team natin, 'di ba? So nakilala ko siya for the first time and natuwa ako nu'ng sinabi niya, "Oh, Mayor, I just want you to know that my mom lives in San Juan. My mom's family lives in San Juan. My relatives live in San Juan."

So naano ako, kumbaga 'yung initial feeling goes, "Wow, I'm happy to know that." Tapos nagkakuwentuhan kami. And then, nakuwento ko 'yung personal experience ko na naging team captain ako ng back-to-back championship teams, 'no? 1998-1999. That was when La Salle won back-to-back championships in the UAAP. Nakuwento ko sa kaniya 'yung experience ko as a team captain, as a player.

And even now, kahit sabihin mong 'di na ako naglalaro, I still watch the games. Whatever I can do to help my school, 'no? 'Yung presence ko lang doon. Last year, 'yung Animo Ring Ceremony, if you remember, Howie, I organized that along with Don Allado, Renren Ritualo, Dominic Uy, Mon Jose - 'yung core group ng aming championship team dati, 'no?

So nakuwento ko lahat 'to kay Mason how La Salle is in terms of taking care of their players. Now, if naging good feedback ito sa kaniya o naging consideration ito para sa kaniya, that's really up to him to assess, 'no?
Again, I categorically am saying that I did not pirate Mason Amos. I'm not involved in any way in terms of recruiting players. I am a former player. I help the alumni core group in such a way that, ako kasi perspective ko as a player. Sila, ang perspective nila as a team manager, 'di ba? Or alumni. Pero ako kasi ang perspective ko, dating player.

So 'pag mayroong mga bagay na nakikita ko na dapat kong sabihin sa kanila dahil perspective ito ng player, sinasabi ko sa kanila. Kasi sila, they are managers but none of them were really active UAAP players. So I guess that's where my value comes in in terms of helping out the La Salle University alumni core group because they're getting it at a different perspective.

So kung 'yung napag-usapan namin at 'yung naikuwento ko kay Mason ay naging dahilan kung bakit siya nagdesisyon, that is his personal choice. Wala naman po tayong binanggit na anumang kumbaga bagay sa kaniya na maco-consider nating pina-pirate. Of course, I have a lot of friends from Ateneo. In fact, my vice mayor is from Ateneo and I grew up with a lot of Atenean friends.

So please, to my Atenean friends and to all the members of the Ateneo community, huwag kayong mag-iisip na pinirate ko. Not me. Not me, definitely. Nagkataon lang, nagkita kami, nagkakilala kami at nalaman ko na taga-San Juan 'yung mother niya.

So siyempre, as mayor of San Juan, parang I had a light feeling about it. "Oh wow, I never knew that," I told him. Sabi nga niya, every time na mayroon silang game dito sa FilOil, which is in San Juan, 'yung family niya nanonood and he would go to his family's house here in Barangay Onse in San Juan.

So nu'ng nalaman ko 'to, parang siyempre natuwa ako. Gumaan 'yung loob ko dahil it's not all the time that you will hear this kind of connection between an Atenean superstar player and our city.

HOWIE: Okay, so malinaw, 'no? Kuwentong basketball.

ZAMORA: Malinaw 'yan.

HOWIE: Yeah. Thank you for setting the record straight on that. And we're going to let you go now, Mayor. We know how busy you are. We end with that personal and sports note. Maraming salamat, Mayor, for your time. And we look forward to a safer Wattah Wattah Festival in the future.

And hopefully, Ateneo victories over La Salle kahit tumipat na si Mason Amos sa inyo. Maraming salamat sa inyong serbisyo, Mayor Francis Zamora. Mabuhay po kayo.

ZAMORA: Maraming salamat, Howie. Animo, La Salle. One big fight, Ateneo.