Marathon Man

The Pasig River has always been associated with lore and beauty. Running a ten-mile course from Laguna de Bai out to the fabled Manila Bay, life along its banks was easy and pleasant. The water used to be so clear a swimmer could actually see right through to the bottom of the river.

The lure of commerce and industry that relied on the river as transport artery started its demise as early as the 1930s. As industries multiplied along its banks, so did the poison that seeped into its waters. Before long, the once beautiful Pasig River was a dark, murky, stagnant river.

There have been many efforts to revive the river, from manual clean-ups to chemical and technical plans. So far, success has been limited at best. Perhaps the goals were too high, or government lacked interest and private sector lost interest or, more often than not, resources ran dry. To date, the longest-running river rehabilitation program has been the one under the Clean & Green Foundation, which started in the mid-90s under then First Lady Ming Ramos.

One of the foundation’s most successful projects has been the Pasig River Heritage Marathon, now on its fourth edition. To be held on February 29, this year’s marathon has for its chairman a rather unlikely person: champion horse owner/breeder, sportsman and businessman Hermonio Esguerra.

Chairman/ceo of The Herma Group of companies and best known as the owner of the legendary racehorse Windblown‚ one would hardly think of Hermie presiding over the Pasig River Heritage Marathon, a 42-kilometer run that crosses the 13 bridges of the winding river.

"I was invited noong last year pa, but I got sick and I had to pass. Pero umiiwas din naman talaga ako, kasi it’s a tall assignment. You see, when I agree to work on something, I want to give it my all and not do it half-heartedly," Hermie says, sitting comfortably in front of a long, wooden table at his lavish office building in Quezon City.

"I have nothing to gain by being the man-in-charge of a marathon," he continues. "But I feel that it is the duty of every Filipino to help revive the river Pasig, and it just happens to be me. I never asked for such a task but now that I’m here, I might as well do my best."

This is the fourth time the marathon is being staged, but it is the first time the marathon is directly connected to the river’s rehabilitation program. Hermie accepted the job (from former First Lady Ming Ramos) on the condition that the marathon had to have a dual purpose for the river.

"I think the original plan for this annual affair was to align it with the most popular marathons in the world, like the ones in New York and Boston," he shares. "When I took over this year, all of us started visioning on what we could do. Let’s admit the fact that we cannot rehabilitate the river just like that; no marathon will do that. So I’m just using it (the marathon) to create a high profile consciousness among as many people as possible. And so we all agreed–the Clean and Green, the local government units and other supporters of the program–to inform the public that the river is not a giant garbage dump. And if they hear it over and over, hopefully it’ll stick to their minds. Awareness could be the start of something big."

The marathon starts early in the morning as runners gather at the Del Pan-Roxas Bridge, which leads to the north and south harbors. The race route then crosses the more familiar Jones and McArthur-Sta. Cruz Bridges and takes runners through Quezon Bridge, then Ayala, Mabini-Nagtahan, Zamora-Pandacan, Lambingan, and the Makati-Mandaluyong Bridges. The final stretch of the run begins at Guadalupe, Carlos P. Garcia, Antonio-Bambang, and finally ends at the Arsenio Jimenez-Kalawaan Bridge–about 42 kilometers in all.

Hermie stresses that he is merely capitalizing on the popularity of the annual marathon: "It could have been any other event–something more common here in the Philippines like basketball. But since it has already been launched, we all decided that it was best to associate the awareness project with the occasion itself," he explains.

"My friends used to see me as just another abused donor. I do know that I don’t have impressive credentials for this task–I’m not a river engineer or anything. And I don’t really know how I fit into this," Hermie laughs. "But I guess they see something nice and productive in me. Maybe it’s because I do my best in everything that I do. That is why I do not want to commit to anything I cannot do well. Sana hindi na bigyan ng kulay ng ibang tao yung pagiging chairman ko sa marathon na ito."

It can’t be helped, because some cynics would scoff and say that, as a businessman, Hermie would most probably have something to gain by joining the project, or worse, he might be running for public office.

Hermie is quick dismiss such views or impressions, saying that he doesn’t have any business ventures tied up with the river in anyway. As for going into politics, he reveals that he has long been invited by friends to enter politics and he has repeatedly turned them down.

"I don’t believe in the political system and my chairing the marathon is not profit inspired," he insists. "And if they still don’t believe me, well that’s their problem. I’m just doing my thing here. And I’m doing everything I can to make this work."