Two minors reportedly drowned during the three-day town fiesta of Apalit celebrated from June 28 to 30, 2025.
Lieutenant Colonel German Pascua, chief of the Apalit police, said an 11-year-old boy was reported missing by his family on June 29.
A retrieval operation was conducted by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), which led to the recovery of the victim’s body along the Pampanga River in Barangay San Vicente.
In a separate incident on June 30, another boy, aged 12, also drowned in the same barangay.
Pascua said the victim had jumped into the Pampanga River from the roof of a house while playing with friends in Barangay San Vicente.
The MDRRMO was able to retrieve the victim who was taken to a hospital. The boy was declared dead by the duty physicians.
“Hindi namin maconsider na related ang second incident sa fiesta since hindi naman ito nangyari during the fluvial parade pero ikinalulungkot namin na may mga nangyaring ganito sa masayang okasyon sana,” the chief of police said.
The town’s fiesta is one of the most anticipated events in Pampanga, drawing thousands of devotees who join the fluvial procession for Apung Iru, the town’s patron saint.