The Bocaue river festival is an annual celebration held every first sunday of july in Bocaue, Bulacan in honour of the holy cross, the mahal na poon nf krus sa wawa, found in the river in 1850. The festivities involve a decorated pagoda on a top of a barge sorrounded by small boats accompanying it. A replica of the holy cross is placed at the top of the pagoda.
The pagoda tragedy refers to fatal accident that occured on july 2, 1993. During the 1993 bocaue river festival in bocaue, bulacan in the philippines. The accident involved a sinking of floating pagoda, the centre of the festivities which result in drowning of more than 200 devotees. Although a tragedy happened during its celebration in 1993 , the bocaue pagoda festival will continue to thrive in god to promoteand preserved the fluviial festival.