San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said over 10,000 people celebrated the city's Wattah Wattah Festival on Tuesday, June 24, amid stricter guidelines set by the city government to ensure a peaceful and orderly observance of the fiesta.

Zamora said the crowd estimate was provided by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Following the challenges and public concerns from last year’s celebration, the 2025 festival was held under tighter security and stricter guidelines set forth by the City Government under the City Ordinance No. 14, S. 2025,“ Zamora said, adding that he oversaw the preparations for the event and commended the cooperation of the public and the efficiency of emergency and security teams.

“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa aking mga minamahal na San Juaneno sapagkat yung ating panawagan na magpunta dito sa Basaan Zone ay talagang pinagbigyan tayo. Nung una, napakahirap magkaroon ng pagbabago dahil ito po ay nakasanayan na natin nitong mga nakaraang dekada. Kaya ipinaintindi natin sa ating mga mamamayan ang kahalagahan na dito mismo magsagawa ng basaan (I am grateful to my beloved San Juanenos because our call to come here to the Basaan Zone was truly granted. At first, it was very difficult to make a change because we have been used to this for the past decades. That is why we made our people understand the importance of conducting basaan right here),” the mayor explained.

According to him, there were no untoward incidents of passersby getting doused with water by fiesta-goers after the 2 p.m. basaan period.

During the celebration, San Juan's Incident Command Center swiftly responded to various medical incidents ranging from heat-related incidents to a brawl involving two groups of teenagers.

There were also two revelers who suffered shortness of breath, eight of heat exhaustion, and another eight of minor injuries.

There were also three reports of public disturbances, five ordinance violations, three lost-and-found, and one reported missing person but who since been found.

A total of 18 recorded incidents were managed promptly with no major threats to public safety.

The Wattah Wattah Festival, held annually in honor of St. John the Baptist, continues to be a beloved tradition in San Juan, marked by joyous water dousing, colorful parades, and spirited street dancing.

“While several street performers experienced mild hyperventilation due to extreme heat, medical teams were immediately dispatched and all cases were resolved on site,” Zamora said, noting that the city government is now planning a comprehensive post-event assessment to further refine festival safety in the coming years.