On June 24, 2025, Catholic devotees in Barangay Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija marked the Feast of St. John the Baptist with the annual Taong Putik (“mud people”) ritual.
At dawn, participants wade into muddy rice fields and cover themselves with mud, dried banana leaves, and vines—symbols of penance and humility modeled after the saint’s ascetic life in the wilderness.
Known locally as Pagsa-San Juan, the tradition involves going house to house to ask for candles or alms, which are later offered at the Diocesan Shrine of St. John the Baptist during a community Mass and procession.
Believed to have originated during the Spanish colonial era, the ritual gained deeper meaning during World War II, when villagers attributed their survival from Japanese troops to the intercession of St. John following a sudden downpour.
Today, the Taong Putik remains a powerful expression of faith, blending folk memory, local history, and Catholic devotion.
All photos by Angie de Silva
