by Cyrus A. Natividad

Rev. Edwin Lariza, during one of the episodes of his show on CPU TV, Angtanay sa Katin-aran.

The interview with a guest from United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBECHEA) in July 2014 was the last episode I had with Rev. Dr. Lariza’s in Angtanay, one of CPU TV’s talk shows. The rain was too heavy, but the show went on. I was obliged to co-host with him after a long while. We had a whole segment of interaction with Dr. Glenn Shive, UBECHEA Vice President for Programs, who was in CPU for the International Service Learning Conference for the calamity left by typhoon Yolanda. ‘Pare Edwin’ as we fondly call him was a “work horse”. In fact, he was on top of the conference committee at the time, and no doubt, able to get much attention and support from foreign agencies. Lariza was an awarded NGO projects facilitator. But really, he was a dedicated Social Work department head at Central Philippine University.

We had one of those special broadcasts of Angtanay which shows how Lariza connects with people, NGO’s, the government and many agencies worldwide – to pursue humanitarian programs for support. There’s a long list of non-government organizations in Western Visayas including Iloilo, but we like to recognize the member beneficiaries who will never forget Lariza for life “for molding and helping them with livelihood programs.”

A local newspaper with the same name – “Angtanay” was proposed in addition to the TV show. A supposedly maiden issue of the paper was actually published in 2005, where I put my solicited short opinion column for the CPU Centennial. We had an unfinished discussion about the newspaper after the talk show; “to continue or not to continue publishing it as a community paper” Lariza said. “Something like the ‘Sillimanian’ in Dumaguete?” I asked him.

Finally the downpour stopped. I needed to leave immediately, before it rains again. So he said, “Ok Cy, we’ll go back to it in another discussion.”

I was in a very low spirit as I received the sad news about Rev. Dr. Lariza on social media, a Sunday morning of March 8, 2015. News about him turned to records in my mind, and the last things he did for CPU were reflections of what Rev. Dr. Edwin I. Lariza really was. He’s a charismatic leader, I should say. I recalled us both pioneering candidates in the first CPU Republic elections (CPUR hibernated for more than 10 years). We ran for congress and won. We ran for the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively.

For the record, he has these achievements as follows: Student leader and CPUR Representative for College of Social Work, Graduate of Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Bachelor of Theology, Outstanding Social Worker of the Philippines, NGO Coordinator, writer-editor, CPU TV Host and advisor for publications Catalyzer, Central Echo, Centralite; Professor, Outreach Director, Pastor, former President and President emeritus of Convention of Baptist Ministers Association, leader, organizer and supporter, Department Head, CPU Social Work Department.
For all the people he served, communities and NGOs he had lived with, all churches he had ministered, and all Centralians, Rev. Dr. Edwin I. Lariza left behind a legacy of service and compassion.