Manila, San Juan folk set aside woes on feast day

MANILA, Philippines - For a few hours at least, residents of Manila and San Juan City set aside their woes in the wake of typhoon "Frank" as they marked their feast day Tuesday. In Manila, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported that the city government held a simple program marking the city's 437th foundation day. Police kept watch over commercial establishments and parks, including the Bonifacio Shrine where a wreath-laying and program was to be held in the morning. Students were expected to troop to malls and commercial establishments Tuesday as there were no classes for the day in the city. Floodwaters that swamped many areas in the city had subsided as of early Tuesday. On the other hand, dzBB's Tuesday Niu reported that the atmosphere in San Juan was more festive as residents lined the streets for the annual "Basaan" tradition. The "Basaan," particularly along N. Domingo Street, aims to commemorate the feast day of the city's patron saint John the Baptist. San Juan City marked its 406th anniversary Tuesday. Now considered a tourist attraction, the tradition has local residents dousing passersby with water. Other activities lined up for the day include street dancing and a fiesta in the evening at the church of St. John the Baptist. - GMANews.TV