San Juan celebrates ‘Wattah-Wattah’ festival

Residents of San Juan City on Saturday started their day early as they celebrate the "Wattah-Wattah Festival."

The yearly event has been long-held tradition observed every 24th of June, the feast day of St. John the Baptist, the city's patron saint.

LOOK: Tradisyunal na basaan sa San Juan City bilang pagdiriwang ng pista ni San Juan Baustista. | @AthenaImperial_ pic.twitter.com/zvHwPHUH6s

— GMA News (@gmanews) June 23, 2017

During the festival, residents, visitors and even passers-by get splashed with clean water, which take its inspiration from the Biblical account of Jesus' baptism by St. John the Baptist in Jordan River. 

Rev. Msgr. Nestor C. Cerbo, vicar of the St. John the Baptist Parish, also called as the Pinaglabanan Church, blessed to the floats to be used in the festival.

Binibindisyunan na ang mga karosang ipaparada ngayong pista ni San Juan Baustista. #Watahwatahfestival2017 pic.twitter.com/RKkDtxmNAO

— GMA News (@gmanews) June 24, 2017

Habang nagbabasbas si Msgr Nestor Serbo ng St John Baptist parish, binabasa rin siya ng mga kasama sa parada ng San Juan Festival @dzbb pic.twitter.com/S0ABHA8ehb

— manny vargas (@VargasMannysen) June 24, 2017

At the festivities, children line up the streets and join in "water wars."

Pati mga bata nakisali sa basaan sa San Juan festival sa San Juan City @dzbb pic.twitter.com/SkXS4d5EK2

— manny vargas (@VargasMannysen) June 24, 2017

Mistulang mahabang fountain ng tubig ang ilang kalye sa San Juan City @dzbb pic.twitter.com/DxxvXykqVc

— manny vargas (@VargasMannysen) June 24, 2017

A number of activities have been lined up for this year's celebration, including the grand parade of colors, the yearly inter-barangay street dancing competition, St. John the Baptist procession, and the street party held at the Plaza ng Masa followed by a concert at 6 p.m.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle will also be part of the feast as he will officiate the 6 p.m. Mass. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/LBG, GMA News