Ejercito laments leadership failure in San Juan’s chaotic ‘basaan’ fest

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito during one of the Senate hearings. Bibo Nueva España / Senate PRIB file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Former San Juan City Mayor now Sen. JV Ejercito blamed the rowdy “Basaan” or “Wattah Wattah” Festival last June 24 to failure of leadership.

In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Ejercito lamented “then-joyful and orderly” Wattah! Wattah! San Juan Fiesta, saying it has become to be chaotic.

“Mula noong 2003, nang unang Wattah! Wattah!, pinaghirapan nating maging maayos ito at magkaroon ng sariling tema at identity. Ilang taon ang ginugol bago naging maganda at inaabangan ang piyesta,” said Ejercito.

(Since 2003 when Wattah! Wattah! was first implemented, we’ve tried very hard to make it orderly and systematic. We spent years making this a beautiful and anticipated festival.)

Being a former mayor of the city, Ejercito said he personally helped place rules and parameters to the “basaan” tradition.

Time was also limited while splashing water to passersby en route to work was also prohibited according to the senator.

“Bilang dating mayor na nag-conceptualize, nag-organisa, at nag-ayos ng San Juan Fiesta, ako ay sadyang nalulungkot na nagbalik ito sa dating kaguluhan, at walang disiplina ang mga nakikipagbasaan,” said Ejercito.

(As a former mayor who conceptualized, organized, and organized the San Juan Fiesta, I am saddened that it has returned to the previous chaos, and those who are participating have no discipline.)

This led him to think that the local government had lapses in preparing for the event.

“Hindi ganito ang mga San Juaneños. Marahil ay nagkulang sa preparasyon at pagpapaalala. Dati ay pinahuhuli ko mismo ang mga nanggugulo at nambabasa sa mga papasok sa trabaho. Nasayang ang diwa ng San Juan Fiesta. This is a failure of leadership!” he added.

(San Juaneños are not like this. Perhaps there was a lack of preparation and reminder. I, myself, used to order the arrest of troublemakers who splash water to individuals going to work. The spirit of the San Juan Fiesta was wasted. This is a failure of leadership)

The recently concluded festival became viral on the internet after several people expressed their frustrations over the inconvenience brought by the event.

Some testified that they were doused with water while boarding a public transportation to the point that their gadgets and documents were drenched.

The local government of San Juan City has apologized over the incident, urging victims to come forward and file a formal complaint against the perpetrators that inconvenienced them.