Basaan Festival Amid Water Crisis Shows The SCREWED-UP PRIORITIES Of People Participating In It

"We cannot do away with tradition." has always been a typical excuse for Filipinos who love to use their identity to enjoy their blunder. Now, the recent Manila Water Crisis has hit and yet they have the nerve to continue celebrating the Basaan (dousing of water) Festival in Manila. Isn't it common sense that if there's a water crisis then you must SAVE WATER? If they must celebrate then they could do without wasting much water during the event!

But as said the festivals must go on the way they are, right? This reminds me of the stupidity of one of General Luna's men namely Tomas Mascardo. It was he who decided that attending the town fiesta was more important than the ongoing war.  They even decided to have firetrucks waste precious water all in the name of tradition. What if a FIRE hit that day? Would they still want to hold the Basaan Festival? Instead, it had to go on with people having to get wet all in the name of tradition. I guess people will have to do their tradition regardless of what happens. Doesn't this also remind you of Leah Navarro who decided to criticize President Duterte for going to Marawi instead of the June 12 flag raising ceremony? Which is more important? The Marawi crisis or the June 12 flag raising ceremony? Also, what if Noynoy Aquino (whom she so blindly admires) decided to go to Mindanao instead of the flag raising ceremony during his term? This time, I'd like to ask the residents of Metro Manila (especially in San Juan), "Which is more important? Water conservation or getting all wet during the Basaan Festival?"

Water is a precious commodity. Without water, there is nothing to support life. Then again how long have Filipinos been insensitive to such concerns all in the name of being "Filipino"? Will improvising the Basaan Festival by making it a water conservation awareness festival or replacing the tons of water with water balloons or water guns make them less Filipino? Not at all. My idea for those who still want to celebrate it without the fire truck is simple. They could use water balloons and water guns. They could still get wet without wasting precious water from fire trucks. They could allocate the amount of water to be used for that day -- no more and no less. They can have a limited time for celebration. Water balloons and water guns will be first come, first served and when the water is gone then the festivities will stop after the allotted time.

The other alternative is not to get wet at all. Make people be aware of the importance of conserving water. Make Basaan Festival an opportunity for the people to celebrate by teaching tips on how to conserve water and to clean the bodies of water near them. This would be another way to celebrate Basaan Festival without wasting much water.