By Cyrus A. Natividad
Mr. Edwin C. Laruan, current Sports Director together with former Sports Director, Atty. Alejandro S. Somo.
When then CPU TV Coordinator, Mr. Edwin C. Laruan, was appointed to a “higher calling,” to be the Director of the CPU Office of Sports and Athletics, the decision was not as difficult except that he had to leave behind such an “enjoyable, professional production crew… at the studio.” Laruan took over the position as director from Atty. Alejandro S. Somo, who retired from University employment earlier this June.
Speaking at CPU TV’s Looking Forward public affairs program on Friday, October 26, Laruan emphasized his devotion to and expertise in sports, particularly, football. He was born in Barotac Nuevo in Iloilo, and was raised in a family who had, and still have, a keen interest in sports. On a side note, Barotac Nuevo is well known as the football capital of the Iloilo province.
The scope of his responsibility, according to Laruan, includes the supervision of all CPU coaches and assessment of their performance. He is also tasked to plan and coordinate every time another batch of new students come to CPU to study through the athletic scholarship program. For events at all levels—local, national and international—he is involved in formulating the budget and developing strategies. Moreover, being the Sports Director carries the task of being the overall team leader of the CPU Golden Lions.
Training and support for the athletes, among others, require some expertise. Laruan’s experience in playing football and coaching has helped him focus on helping the student athletes not only develop their skills and abilities but to also observe discipline especially in maintaining their physical fitness. He also emphasized that students must understand that the University is firm when it comes to enforcing the qualifications for their scholarship.
Laruan is a graduate of Mass Communications from WVSU and had worked with several media outlets in Iloilo City before joining CPUTV Productions. Laruan is married to Anja Kaitlyn, and together, they have a son, Edwin, Jr., and daughter, Marie Claire.