GRANDMASTER LARRY ALCUIZAR PASSES AWAY   
IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
By Jay de Leon

On Sept. 9, 2007, Grandmaster Gerardo “Larry” Alcuizar passed away at seventy-three years old in Los Angeles, California USA after a short bout with liver cancer, discovered a scant three weeks before his death. An original Doce Pares Grandmaster, Nong Larry, as he is fondly called by friends, relatives and students, had dedicated most of his adult life promoting Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) and Tang So Do in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and, for the last five years, in the United States.

GrandMaster Larry Alcuizar

Sept. 12, 2007 was one of the last dog days of summer, hot and bright.  After lunch, I drove to Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California.  It was the viewing for GM Larry.  There I spent several hours offering condolences to his beloved wife, daughter and assorted relatives, as well as reminiscing with his former students like Ronald Manrique and Keith.

The wife of GM Larry Alcuizar (left) and his daughter
at the viewing at Hope Chapel in Forest Lawn Memorial Park
 in Cypress, CA.

GM Larry was scheduled to be transported to his beloved Cebu City in the Visayas in the Philippines.  There his remains would be met and accorded loving burial by his family, relatives and friends, as well as arnisadors and students from the Philippines, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Relatives, friends and students of GM Larry Alcuizar
at the viewing at Hope Chapel in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, CA.

I was fortunate to have met, and seen in action, GM Larry Alcuizar. In fact, he came over to my house in Murrieta, California, where he showed me some signature moves.

GM Larry shows some signature moves on a student
in an impromptu demo at Jay de Leon’s residence
in Murrieta, California in 2005.

GM Larry Alcuizar (left) and Jay de Leon in Murrieta, CA

He was also the featured instructor at one of my mini-Tipunans, the Tipunan sa Glendora in 2005 held at Steve Aron’s Temple of the Garage in Glendora, California. I remember my old dojomate and sparring partner Steve Przybyla, a lakan in Inosanto Kali, going one-on-one with GM Larry and having a blast in the process.

GM Larry Alcuizar (center) poses with some participants of
Tipunan sa Glendora 2005 at Steve Aron’s Temple of the Garage
in Glendora, California, USA. Guro Steve Przybyla is the bearded fellow,
third from left.

GM Larry Alcuizar (right) with Jay de Leon at the
Tipunan sa Glendora 2005 at Steve Aron’s Temple of the Garage
in Glendora, California, USA

GM Larry was indeed extremely generous of his time and his expertise.

For those who do not know GM Larry Alcuizar, you may check out his website at http://eskridousa.com . Of course, with his death, I do not know how long that site will be up. He was a Doce Pares Grandmaster, with his certificate duly signed by the Doce Pares Council, including Cacoy Canete and Inting Carin. He was a pioneer of arnis and Tang So Do in Saudi Arabia. He founded his own eskrima style way back in the 70’s, calling it “Durex” then.

Eventually, he started calling his style “Eskrido.” In a personal interview, he told me that his term predates that of Manong Cacoy Canete, and Manong Cacoy has no objections to him using that term.

Ronald Manrique, one of GM Alcuizar’s senior students (right)
and Jay de Leon outside Hope Chapel at GM’s Alcuizar’s viewing
at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, CA.

Nong Larry will be missed. He will be especially missed by his fledgling group of student arnisadors in Los Angeles, California led by lakan Ronald Manrique. To them I say, we share your loss, be strong and carry on Nong Larry’s legacy. You have the support of the arnis brotherhood worldwide behind you.