This One's for the Guiness Records: One Run, One River - Marathon for a Cause for Pasig River

Running for a cause this Sunday (November 20, 2011) woke me up about 3: 30 in the early morning.

I had to fulfill my second-time participation in marathon, supporting another advocacy. And this time, it's for the Pasig River.

Aiming for the Guinness Book of World Records, the main organizer headed by Ms. Gina Lopez, also the managing director of ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. targeted a heterogeneous group of participants that counted into 150, 500 people of all ages.

An annual run is held since 2009 as the foundation launched Kapit-Bisig (Join Hands) para sa Ilog Pasig (for the sake of Pasig River) or the KBIP.

The cleaning and rehabilitation of the different estuaries of Pasig River along the tributaries at the banks of the said river are maintained and done by the so-called 'river warriors', mostly active middle-aged residents.

This year, the race started at the corner of Pedro Gil street, leading to the Roxas boulevard and ending at the concert grounds of Mall of Asia, a reclaimed sea are of Pasay City.

The Pasig River (the River) is a 27-kilometer body of water in the Philippines. The River, having 47 tributaries, traverses Metro Manila, capital of the Philippines, and connects Laguna Bay to Manila Bay, passing through eight cities Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Pasay, Taguig Kalookan, San Juan) and one municipality (Pateros).

Rivers from around the world are being rehabilitated due to the exploitation made by mankind. Starting from fishing, quarrying and a lot of destructive activities that cannot be controlled until a river becomes polluted, the salient point of cleaning it again depends on the concern being given by the public or the residents of that country where the river thrives.

Pasig River is not an exception. It was once a very clean river. Trading was so vibrant that residents and traders seemed to be oblivious of the slow destruction being made, altering the lives of the fishes and other living organisms in the river and its estuaries because of pollution.

Since the Spanish era, poets and storytellers alike were inspired by this body of water in the old Metro Manila.

Even our Philippine national hero Jose Rizal was inspired to do two poems regarding Pasig River. He even opened his book, Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) with a scene from the Chapter 1 giving emphasis with the scenes happening along the river.

The present generation's link with the river is through songs. You can learn the lyrics and music of the following songs and its translations:

Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran by Asin

Wala ka bang napapansin sa iyong mga kapaligiran?
Kay dumi na ng hangin, pati na ang mga ilog natin.

Refrain 1: hindi na masama ang pag-unlad at malayu-layo na rin ang ating narating ngunit masdan mo ang tubig sa dagat dati'y kulay asul ngayo'y naging itim ang mga duming ating ikinalat sa hangin sa langit huwag na nating paabutin upang kung tayo'y pumanaw man, sariwang hangin sa langit natin matitikman

Refrain 2: mayron lang akong hinihiling sa aking pagpanaw sana ay tag-ulan gitara ko ay aking dadalhin upang sa ulap na lang tayo magkantahanang mga batang ngayon lang isinilang may hangin pa kayang matitikman? may mga puno pa kaya silang aakyatin may mga ilog pa kayang lalanguyan?

Refrain 3: bakit di natin pagisipan ang nangyayari sa ating kapaligiran hindi na masama ang pag-unlad kung hindi nakakasira ng kalikasan.

Darating ang panahon mga ibong gala ay wala nang madadapuan masdan mo ang mga punong dati ay kay tatag ngayo'y namamatay dahil sa 'ting kalokohan

Refrain 4: Lahat ng bagay na narito sa lupa biyayang galing sa diyos kahit nong ika'y wala pa ingatan natin at 'wag nang sirain pa pagkat pag kanyang binawi, tayo'y mawawala na

Repeat refrain 2

(Translation of Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran - Look at your surrounding)

Have you seen your environment?
For cleaner air , as well as our rivers.

Chorus 1: Too bad development have come but also altered the sea water, formerly blue, now turned into black color of wastes, Dirt that we've released into the air, let us not spread it in our sky, so that when we perish, fresh air will be inhaled in heaven.

Chorus 2: I just wish before my departure,that it would rain. I will bring my guitar up to the clouds and we will sing together

The children who are born today, will they be able have to inhale clean air? Will they see tree to climb or river to swim?

Chorus 3: We are not concerned with what is happening in our environment. Development is not bad unless it will never destroy nature. Time will come wild birds will never see branches of trees. Look at those sturdy trees starting to die because of our mistakes.

Chorus 4: Everything here on earth are created by God for our benefits since the beginning of time. We should take care of it because it will vanish in a blast once we abuse it.

Repeat refrain 2:

(It's hard to edit the result from Google Translate. You still have to consider proper flow of the sentences.)

Here's another song titled " Anak ng Pasig " by Smokey Mountain, composed by maestro himself, Sir Ryan Cayabyab.

Ako'y umusbong sa tabi ng Pasig
Nagisnan ang ilog na itim ang tubig
Lumaking paligid ng bundok na umuusok
Langhap na langhap ang amoy ng basurang bulok

Ito ang buhay ng anak ng Pasig
Pa-swimming swimming sa itim na tubig
Playground lang ang bundok ng basura mo
Musika'y ugong ng kotse at bangka n'yo

Anak ng Pasig naman kayo
Kalat doon, kalat dito
Natakpan na ang langit kong ito
Nilason din ang Ilog ko

Akala ko'y ganoon talaga ang mundo
Hanggang nakakita ako ng lumang litrato
Di maniwalang Pasig din ang tinitignan ko
Kaibigan ano ang nangyari dito
(Anong nangyari? Anong nangyari?)

Anak ng Pasig naman kayo
Kalat doon, kalat dito
Natakpan na ang langit kong ito
Nilason din ang Ilog ko

Anak ng Pasig naman kayo
Tapon doon, tapon dito
Di n'yo alam ang tinatapon n'yo
Ay bukas ko at ng buong mundo

Huli na ba ang lahat
Patay na ba ang ilog at dagat
Kapag Pasig ay pinabayaan
Parang bukas ang tinalikuran

Anak ng Pasig naman kayo
Kalat doon, kalat dito
Natakpan na ang langit kong ito
Nilason din ang Ilog ko

Anak ng Pasig naman kayo
Tapon doon, tapon dito
Di n'yo alam ang tinatapon n'yo
Ay bukas ko at ng buong mundo

Anak ng Pasig naman kayo
May bukas pa ang ating mundo.