San Juan town to hold Bugwas Festival (26 July 2006) -- In its bid to have its own town festival, the municipality of San Juan in Siquijor province, whose vision-filled residents want to call it as the province's Tourism Capital, is slated to hold a Festival on August 26 as one of the highlights of the celebration of its Annual Town Fiesta in honor of its beloved patron saint, St. Augustine of Hippo.

The festival's name passed through an intensive search and selection which was mainly based on the premise that San Juan municipality was once known to have its former name Capilay, a name derived from the natural body of water coming from within the fenced town plaza located at a stone's throw distance from both the Roman Catholic Church, Convent, Municipal Building and Rizal Monument, among other landmarks.

In a sort of brainstorming session, several proposed names emerged, among them were Bugahanay, Bugwasan, Bugwas, Buhagay, Bugahay and Capilay. In the process of screening out the less appropriate names, the Body trimmed down the selection to only three, Buylo, Buhagay, and Bugwas. The Fiesta Officers deliberately excluded the name Bugahanay since there were opinions that it somehow sounded as festival of festivals, and there is possibility that it could be reserved for a district or provincial level, or even a bigger festival. When the proponent for the name Buylo withdrew his proposed name, the number was further reduced into only 2, namely Buhagay and Bugwas.