Pasig River through a photographer's lens

MANILA, Philippines - Photos of Pasig River and the esteros, as seen through the eyes of photographer Erik Lacson, were recently put up in an exhibit in Makati City. Calling his personal photography project “Pasig River Seen,” Lacson partnered with The Filipinas Heritage Library and ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig to present his exhibit.

“Although I’ve been thinking about doing the project for quite a bit, I never thought that I had the capacity or the maturity as a photographer to pull it off,” explained Lacson. “It was only after I took the Masterclass in documentary photography under the mentorship of veteran Filipino photojournalist Alex Baluyut that I actually got inspired to pursue it.”

Erik Lacson has worked as a travel photographer for Cebu Pacific Airlines and various local and regional publications. He is also a contributing photographer for Alamy.com, a stock photo agency based in the United Kingdom. He has completed two book projects: a photographic collection of 18th-century Catholic churches around the Philippines, and another on the history of Manila.

“Pasig River Seen” aims to raise consciousness of the Pasig River’s condition and to solicit support for its rehabilitation.

 “I want people to be aware,” said Lacson. “I’m surprised a lot of people haven’t really seen the river. It’s something that’s just at the back of people’s mind as far as the city’s concerned.”

Lacson and ABS-CBN Foundation chief strategist Monchet Olives cut the ribbon during the opening of his exhibit at the Filipinas Heritage Library.

He cites how people from other countries treat and even utilize their rivers. Lacson hopes that once residents in Metro Manila become aware of the Pasig River and esteros, then they translate that awareness into action.

“I want people to see the condition of our waters and try to actually contribute in getting it cleaned up,” Lacson said.

 “I’ve set up a website called pasigriver.org and with that, I hope to lead people to information on how they can help the river, at the same time it’s going to be a platform where we can report the progress of the river because I think that if we tell the people that we’re actually going somewhere, they become more inspired to participate in the whole process,” explained Lacson.

ABS-CBN Foundation managing director and concurrent Pasig River Rehabilitation chair Gina Lopez is glad that volunteers like Lacson are willing to initiate a project such as this.

“I truly feel that the only way that the river can be cleaned up is for more and more people to realize their connection with it,” said Lopez. “And if all these people realize this connection and were to work together, we can revive the river.”

 “Erik’s skills and the path he’s taken have the very real potential of making a huge difference and I wish him all the very best,” Lopez said. “On behalf of the millions of Filipinos who stand to gain by the fact of opening people’s eyes through his photos, I want to thank Erik and wish him more power. I hope he’ll be with us all the way to the end until we have that river cleaned.”

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“Pasig River Seen” was displayed until Jan. 27 at The Alcove in Filipinas Heritage Library on Makati Avenue corner Ayala Avenue. For more information, e-mail Erik Lacson at contact@elacson.com.