Inquirer photojournalist Richard Reyes; 34
Award-winning Inquirer photojournalist Richard Reyes died on Wednesday in Tarlac City. He was 34.
Joining the paper in 2010, Reyes produced a body of work reflective of a media professional who never shied away from—and even welcomed—challenging assignments, always looking for angles, moments and compositions that would set his shots apart.
Among his most memorable news photos were from the coverage of the Duterte drug war, the COVID-19 pandemic, the tense situation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and, most recently, the crackdown on Philippine offshore gaming operators or Pogos.
Reyes, a resident of Novaliches, Quezon City, was in Tarlac City on his day off and attending to personal matters when he suffered a heart attack on Wednesday afternoon.
‘Lasting impact’
Tributes poured in for the late lensman on Thursday.
“Behind these images was one of the kindest humans ever. Still can’t believe you’re gone. Rest in peace, Chardy,” photojournalist Ezra Acayan wrote on his Facebook page.
Of Reyes’ eye for storytelling, Inquirer photo correspondent, Mark Alvic Esplana, said: “(His photos) spoke volumes, and he had a unique way of taking photos that left a lasting impact on all who saw them.”
“Beyond the stunning photos, awards and the work ethic that proves how talented you are as a photojournalist—what I’ll remember most is how great you were to work with, and how genuine you were as a friend,” said another photojournalist, Jansen Romero.
The Akbayan party list, the lead convener of the Atin Ito coalition which campaigns to assert Philippine sovereignty in the WPS, recognized Reyes for covering its maritime caravans, “braving waves and tensions with only his camera and an unwavering sense of duty.”
“His frontpage photographs captured the heroism of our fisherfolk, the spirit of our volunteers, and the shared fight to reclaim what is rightfully ours. His images did not merely record history—they helped shape it,” the group said in a statement.
“In honoring his life, we commit to continue the work of truth-telling, of standing with the oppressed, and of defending our sovereign seas with the same courage and humility Richard so gracefully embodied,” the group added.
Asian Media Awards
Reyes won several honors for the Inquirer, including the gold and silver awards in 2023 and 2024, respectively, for best news photography in the Asian Media Awards given by World Association of News Publishers (Wan-Ifra).
The 2023 award was for a shot of former Sen. Leila de Lima leaving the courtroom in triumph after her acquittal, while the 2024 photo was of the Jesus Nazarene procession also known as “traslacion.”
He also received a special citation in the 44th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) in 2022 for his photo of a Jesuit priest attending to a COVID-19 patient at the Philippine General Hospital.
Prior to joining the Inquirer, Reyes worked as a photo stringer for GMA News Online from 2008 to 2010.
Outstanding PUPian
In 2010, his alma mater, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, named him one of the outstanding graduates of its journalism program.
In 2011, he participated in the Angkor Photo Workshop in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where he received mentoring from renowned international photojournalists Justin Mott and Carolyn O’Neill.
In 2016, he earned a diploma in Visual Journalism from the Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism at Ateneo de Manila University. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH
