Taong Putik is the mud-people rite of Barangay Bibiclat in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. Locals also call it Pagsa-San Juan. Every 24 June, devotees cover themselves in mud and dried banana leaves to honour St. John the Baptist. It is a village feast of humility and vow-keeping, not a mud run and not a costume carnival.

As of 12 September 2026, 24 June 2026 has already passed. The next feast day is 24 June 2027. That date is fixed with the Catholic calendar for St. John. Exact dawn gathering points, Mass time, and procession order still belong to the parish and the barangay. Confirm them before you travel.

Table of Contents

Key facts

Item	What to use
Place	Barangay Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija
Also called	Pagsa-San Juan; Mud People festival in English reports
Date	24 June, feast of St. John the Baptist
2026	Completed. Wire and photo coverage showed the mud-and-leaf rite again on 24 June 2026
Next date	24 June 2027. Confirm dawn hours and Mass with the parish
Form	Catholic village rite: mud, dried banana leaves, alms, Mass, procession
Shrine	Diocesan Shrine / Parish of St. John the Baptist in Bibiclat
What it is not	A sports mud run, a water-park day, or Balayan’s Parada ng Lechon

What Taong Putik is, and what it is not

Before dawn on 24 June, devotees gather mud, smear it on their bodies, and wrap dried banana leaves around themselves. They walk barefoot, collect candles or small alms, and go to church for Mass and prayer. The look recalls the simplicity of St. John the Baptist. For many families it is also a panata, a personal vow of thanksgiving or petition.

Local oral history links the practice to wartime mercy in 1944, when villagers prayed during Japanese occupation and later remembered survival through mud and rain. Tell that story as local memory, not as a courtroom record. The living rite you can still see is the June 24 devotion in Bibiclat.

In one line: Taong Putik is Bibiclat’s 24 June St. John mud-and-leaf vow rite, not a theme-park mud festival, and not the same event as Balayan’s lechon parade.

Timing pattern: fixed 24 June

The date does not move. It is always 24 June. What moves is the exact pre-dawn assembly, Mass hour, and procession path. Travel writers often say arrive the night before and be ready around 4:00 a.m. if you want the mud preparation. Treat that as a common pattern. Get the parish or barangay note for the year you will visit.

Year	Feast day	Status for visitors
2026	24 June 2026	Completed. Photo and wire reports covered the rite that morning.
2027	24 June 2027	Date known. Dawn and Mass hours are not confirmed on this page.

Planning table: how to visit with respect

Topic	Visitor practice
Purpose	Treat it as devotion, not as a photo booth.
Photos	Ask before close portraits. Do not block the walk to church.
Joining the mud	Only if locals and parish practice welcome visitors into the rite. Do not force your way into a vow you do not share.
Alms	Small candles or coins are part of the tradition. Follow what hosts ask.
Clothes	Expect mud and early wet ground. Wear simple clothes you can wash.
Travel	Common path is Manila to Cabanatuan, then onward to Aliaga and Bibiclat. Leave the night before if you need the dawn rite.
Lodging	Many visitors sleep in Cabanatuan or nearby towns. Confirm last-mile tricycle or jeep options.

Wider calendar context: complete festivals guide. Fiesta basics: what are fiestas. Another 24 June St. John feast with a different form is Balayan’s Parada ng Lechon.

Confirm it here

Municipality of Aliaga and Barangay Bibiclat notices for the year’s hours
Diocesan Shrine / Parish of St. John the Baptist, Bibiclat
AP coverage of the 2026 rite: https://apnews.com/article/philippines-mud-festival-taong-putik-catholics-03ad4e91e0d11ff137b81874a128a513
Calendar hub: https://festivepinoy.com/festivals-in-the-philippines-complete-guide/

Quick summary

Taong Putik Festival, also called Pagsa-San Juan, is held every 24 June in Barangay Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. Devotees cover themselves in mud and dried banana leaves for the feast of St. John the Baptist, then go to Mass and procession. The 2026 rite has passed.

The next date is 24 June 2027. Confirm dawn hours and parish plans locally before you travel. It is a vow rite, not a mud sport. Reviewed 12 September 2026.

FAQ

When is the Taong Putik Festival?

Every 24 June in Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. The 2026 feast has passed. The next date is 24 June 2027. Confirm Mass and dawn hours with the parish.

What is Taong Putik?

It is a St. John the Baptist rite where devotees wear mud and dried banana leaves, walk barefoot, offer alms or candles, and join Mass. Locals also say Pagsa-San Juan.

Where is it held?

In Barangay Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, around the St. John the Baptist shrine and parish.

Is it the same as the Lechon Festival?

No. Both honour St. John on 24 June, but Parada ng Lechon is in Balayan, Batangas, and centres on roast pigs and basaan. Taong Putik is Bibiclat’s mud-and-leaf rite.

Can visitors join the mud covering?

Only with clear local welcome. Many visitors watch, donate, and attend Mass without entering the vow costume. Ask the parish or hosts first.

Last reviewed against AP and Philippine photo coverage of the 24 June rite, PNA background on Pagsa-San Juan, and the fixed St. John feast pattern as of 12 September 2026. Always confirm with Bibiclat parish and Aliaga local hosts.

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