Student left crying after ‘basaan’ incident in Tanza draws outrage

Videos of students, commuters, and other bystanders being drenched during San Juan festivities prompt calls for stronger protections for non-participants.

The annual “basaan” associated with the feast of San Juan in Tanza, Cavite, is once again drawing criticism after videos showed students, commuters, and bystanders being splashed and drenched with water against their will.

Among the clips that circulated online was a female student from Tanza National Trade School who was soaked while carrying school supplies and left visibly shaken after her belongings were reportedly damaged. The uploader has since deleted the video after negative comments flooded the post.

Other videos showed people being splashed while riding public utility vehicles or simply passing through public roads.

Supporters often defend the practice as part of the local “Regada” tradition tied to the feast of St. John the Baptist. But when participation is forced on people who are trying to get to school, work, or other obligations, the line between celebration and public nuisance becomes difficult to ignore.

Public outrage has also reached local authorities. Barangay officials said they have launched an investigation into the incidents and are working to determine who participated in the unauthorized water-splashing.

Just last year, San Juan City’s Wattah Wattah Festival similarly came under intense scrutiny after a viral incident involving “Boy Dila,” who sprayed water at a passing motorist. The backlash eventually prompted local officials to discuss stricter regulations, designated basaan zones, and tougher penalties for violators.

Many residents in Tanza are now calling for similar measures. Some have proposed barangay ordinances banning forced water-splashing on public roads, while others are urging local governments to establish designated areas and specific hours for celebrations, allowing willing participants to take part without affecting non-participants.

Netizens say the argument is not against tradition itself. Traditions survive because communities continue to find meaning in them. The problem begins when a celebration becomes an excuse to inconvenience, embarrass, or harass people who never agreed to take part.

Local ordinances already limit basaan activities to specific hours and penalize those who splash people inside vehicles or disrupt public spaces. Yet the scenes that continue to emerge every year suggest that the problem is not simply a lack of regulations, but also a failure by some participants to observe basic courtesy.

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