San Juan mulls 'basaan' zones in next 'Wattah, wattah'

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Friday said that the city government would soon craft an ordinance that would designate a specific area where residents can do the traditional water dousing activities in the future “Wattah, Wattah” festivals. 

Zamora made the statement following complaints against unruly residents who caused disturbance to passersby and even motorists who traversed the city last June 24 as they celebrated the feast of the city’s patron saint, Saint John the Baptist. 

According to Christian Maño’s report in Super Radyo dzBB, Zamora said that the “basaan” activities will only be held along Pinaglabanan Road, from N. Domingo to P. Guevarra, starting next year. 

This means that water dousing activities cannot be done in other areas in the city outside of the specified zone, the report said. 

The mayor on Thursday apologized for the chaos and inconveniences brought by the celebration, assuring that charges will be filed against identified unruly individuals. 

 Among the complaints filed was for physical injury after a man threw muriatic acid at an individual who was just watching on the sidelines.  

Meanwhile, the report added that a rider also filed a complaint on Friday after he was attacked with water and harmed by a resident during the festival. —NB, GMA Integrated News