The Philippine Embassy was the venue for the recent London launch of Pasig: River of Life, a coffeetable book edited by prolific New York-based author Reynaldo Alejandro, with the collaboration of Carlos Palanca Hall of Famer Alfredo Yuson, columnist of Philippine Star in Manila. The contributing writers achieved an integral narrative about the Pasig that combines inspired story-telling with meticulous historical research, and the illustrations by Antonio David enhanced the book's design.

One of the most distinctive historical landmarks in the Philippines, Pasig River is the waterway that cuts across the city of Manila from east to west as it flows from the freshwater lake of Laguna to Manila Bay. The river has featured prominently in various accounts of life in the Philippines since pre-colonial times, having been an important artery for travel, trade and commerce. In old prints, paintings and photographs, it was depicted as a precious resource used by the inhabitants along its path for their drinking, bathing and washing needs.

The book features beautifully illustrated chapters on various topics such as the waterway's geography and history; the Tagalog people (whose name derives from the fact that they were Taga-ilog) who have inhabited the region around for centuries, long before the coming of the Europeans; the evolution of the houses built on its banks; the art, music and literature inspired by it through the ages; the myths, legends and folklore that have been woven on the theme of the river; its place in the early life and future writings Rizal of Rizal, who wrote a zarzuela (musical drama) entitled Junto al Pasig (beside the Pasig), and used the river as setting for the first chapter of his novel El Filibusterismo; the rise of Malacañang along the Pasig as the seat of political power in the Philippines; and the present challenge of rehabilitating the heavily polluted river to bring back its former beauty and usefulness.

Author Reynaldo Alejandro with Ambassador Cesar B. Bautista and Howard Belton, chairman of Univeler Philippines Inc., the book's publisher.

The book is published by Unilever, one of the biggest and oldest multinational companies operating in the Philippines, as a tribute to the "various groups and individuals who continue to contribute to the rehabilitation of the Pasig River." Among the guests who attended the book launching were British Ambassador to the Philippines Alan Collins, Unilever Philippines Inc. Chairman Howard Belton and Mrs. Christina Belton, environmentalists, and leaders of the Filipino community in London. In his welcome remarks during the launch, Ambassador Bautista spoke on the growing sense of corporate responsibility of companies like Unilever with regards to the environment.

Ambassador Cesar B. Bautista welcomes the guests to the launch of Pasig: River of Life at the Philippine Embassy. In his remarks, he underscored the role of corporate responsibility in cleaning up the environment. Among the guests at the book launch was UK Ambassador to the Philippines Alan Collins (right). 

(l-r) Jamie Tapales Oakes, Reynaldo Alejandro, Isa Percival, Cielo Estrada and Ida Estioko