He attended Don Bosco Technical College for high school. From 1991 to 1996,he studied at De La Salle University (DLSU) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree in Management of Financial Institutions.[2] While there,he was a representative and vice-president of the DLSU Student Government.[1] He was a consistent member of the Dean's Honors List and was awarded an Outstanding Thesis in Finance.[2]
After his undergraduate studies,from 1996 to 1998,Dizon worked as an economic staffer to Senate PresidentEdgardo Angara.[1] He also served as his chief of staff from 2002 to 2004.[2]
From 2007 to 2011,Dizon was the vice president for Corporate Communications of Strategic Alliance Holdings –Technologies. He then entered government again in 2011,during the term of President Benigno Aquino III,when he became an undersecretary at the Office of the Political Adviser under the Office of the President. He served in that position until 2013,when he then became a consultant to Senate Majority LeaderAlan Peter Cayetano. He worked for Cayetano until July 2016.[2]
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (2019–2022)
Upon his assumption of the post,Dizon,together with BCDA Chairman Gregorio Garcia III,revamped BCDA's brand statement,“We Build Great Cities While We Strengthen the Armed Forces”to emphasize the agency's mandate of providing economic opportunities to its military stakeholders while transforming former military camps into centers of growth.[3] During Dizon's term as BCDA chief,the agency posted its highest contribution to its major stakeholder,the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). BCDA remitted ₱15.16 billion to the AFP in the first three years of the Duterte administration alone,accounting for 33 percent of the total contributions made since 1993. Under Dizon,BCDA has remitted a total of ₱16.367 billion to the National Treasury.[4]
BCDA's total assets increased by 7 percent from ₱182 billion in 2018 to ₱195 billion in 2019.[5]
Dizon prioritized the development of Clark which was aligned with President Duterte's plan to decongest Metro Manila,the Philippines' capital region and largest metropolitan area,and develop other potential economic hubs in the regions.[6] On November 27,2018,BCDA inaugurated its corporate office in Clark Global City and transferred part of its operations there as part of the move to decentralize state offices in Manila. In the same month,Dizon led BCDA's launch of “Clark:It Works,Like a Dream,”a major campaign which integrates four investment districts,namely the Clark Freeport Zone,Clark Global City,Clark International Airport,and the New Clark City.[7]
Dizon saw Clark as one of the most financially viable lands of BCDA and prioritized the expansion of Clark International Airport and the development of the Philippines’first smart,green,sustainable and resilient metropolis,New Clark City. In October 2020,the government announced that the construction of the new Clark International Airport Passenger Terminal Building is already 100 percent completed,and will be operational by 2021.[8]
His term also saw quick development of New Clark City Phase 1A which served as the main sports hub for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.[9] The BCDA also hosted other major sporting events in the new sports complex,such as the 1st Philippine National Open Swimming Championships,Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) qualifiers,and the first New Clark City Triathlon.[10]
President Duterte included Dizon as a member of the Cabinet cluster on infrastructure in July 2019,and in September the same year,he was named Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects to oversee the monitoring and implementation of the administration's flagship infrastructure programs,and making recommendations thereto.
In November 2019,during a Senate interpellation for the Philippine Sports Commission Budget for 2020,Dizon was prominently coaching Senator Bong Go on how to answer questions raised by Senator Franklin Drilon on the future financial viability of facilities built in BDCA for the 2019 SEA Games.[11]
In October 2020,the Citizens Crime Watch Association filed before the Office of the Ombudsman a complaint for graft and malversation against Dizon,Government Corporate Counsel Elpidio Vega,and Isaac David,the director of Malaysian firm MTD Capital Berhad –the BCDA's partner in building New Clark over the ₱11-billion facilities in New Clark City used during the 2019 SEA Games.[12]
In December 2020,Dizon was appointed by President Duterte as the officer-in-charge chairperson of the Clark Development Corporation,a subsidiary of the BCDA that manages Clark Freeport Zone.[13]
On October 15,2021,Dizon filed his resignation as BCDA president.[14]
National Action Plan Against COVID-19 (2020–2022)
Dizon after being vaccinated with CoronaVac in 2021
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and even while serving as BCDA chief,Dizon was appointed National Action Plan Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer,[15] contributing to the government's policies in response to COVID-19 and serving as the country's Testing Czar.
As chief coordinator of the government's "Test,Trace and Treat" strategy,Dizon played an active role in improving the Philippines’COVID-19 testing capacity. In September,Dizon reported that 3 million Filipinos have been tested,with daily testing capacity reaching 42,000.[16] Dizon was also actively involved in the conversion of major facilities to mega quarantine centers for COVID patients.
In Clark,Dizon initiated the setting up of Task Force Clark Safe Haven to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs),both those stranded by the lockdown and those returning to the country.[17]
Through Dizon and the Clark Development Corporation (CDC),Clark was able to host the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) bubble,the first sports event in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[18]
In November 2021,Dizon took his oath of office as the new Presidential Adviser for COVID response.[19] According to acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles,his office is focused on the vaccination efforts of government.[20]
On his first day as secretary,Dizon ordered the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to suspend its plan to implement a compulsory cashless payment system on toll roads,describing the proposed system as "anti-poor".[24]
In May 2025,Dizon directed local officials in Eastern Visayas to operationalize the Amandayehan Port in Basey,Samar,within two weeks as part of emergency measures to address logistics disruptions caused by load restrictions on the San Juanico Bridge. During an inter-agency meeting and site inspection,Dizon emphasized President Marcos's instruction to ensure the continuous movement of goods,fuel,and essential supplies between the provinces of Leyte and Samar amid the declaration of states of emergency in Samar and Tacloban. He also recommended that the port's management be transferred to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to enable sustained funding and development beyond the initial works supported by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).[25]
Active Transportation Strategic Master Plan
Dizon has reaffirmed his commitment to securing adequate funding for the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) Active Transportation Strategic Master Plan (ATSMP),a national framework aimed at promoting walkability and cyclist-friendly infrastructure throughout the country's urban centers. Dizon has acknowledged the deeply car-centric design of Metro Manila and other cities and stressed the urgent need to reframe transport planning to prioritize the safety and dignity of pedestrians and cyclists. He emphasized the importance of political will and pledged to fight for increased funding in the 2026 budget cycle,following a ₱90 billion (US$1.6 billion) reduction to the DOTr's approved 2025 allocation.[26]
The ATSMP,which is in its consultation phase,is being developed in collaboration with private planning firm Palafox Associates and aims to address gaps in the country's active transport infrastructure. Public consultations are underway in six pilot cities—Iloilo,Mati,Metro Manila,Puerto Princesa,Surigao,and Zamboanga—to shape the plan's priorities and implementation strategies.[26] However,the initiative faces significant budget constraints:for 2026,the ATSMP has been provisionally allocated only ₱69 million ($1.2 million),far below the ₱2.4 billion ($43 million) initially requested. This limited budget would allow for implementation in just one of the six target areas,significantly curbing the nationwide impact of the program and leaving the broader active transport network fragmented.[27]
Dizon acknowledged the limitations imposed by budget constraints but stressed that he would push for restored and increased funding in the 2026 budget,instructing Road Transport Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor to prioritize active transport in future allocations. He noted that effective use of the current budget would be essential to avoid further reductions and build a stronger case for expanded support. Under Dizon's leadership,the DOTr aims to institutionalize active transportation planning through interagency collaboration.[26]
Dizon also emphasized the broader societal value of active transport,linking it to health,safety,and sustainability goals. In response to critiques of disjointed planning and poor infrastructure,Dizon urged civil society groups to help gather public feedback on pedestrian facilities and design standards. He stressed that shifting road space to more efficient and inclusive modes of mobility is not only necessary but achievable with political will—a quality he committed to exercising in his role as transport chief.[26]
EDSA rehabilitation
In May 2025,Dizon announced that rehabilitation work on EDSA,one of Metro Manila's primary thoroughfares,was scheduled to begin in mid-June,with June 13 identified as the tentative start date by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Dizon emphasized the urgency of the project,noting that EDSA had not undergone a major renovation in 45 years.[28] To manage anticipated traffic congestion,the DOTr,under Dizon's leadership and in its capacity as chair of the TRB,planned to implement toll-free access to select segments of Skyway Stage 3 to help divert traffic. In addition,an odd-even number coding scheme was set to be enforced along EDSA,while coordination with other agencies and stakeholders continued to finalize the broader traffic management plan.[29]
Dizon stated that the rehabilitation would prioritize not only motorists but also pedestrians and commuters,as part of a broader effort to make EDSA safer and more inclusive.[30] On May 26,2025,Dizon joined members of the Move As One Coalition in a community walk along EDSA,where he observed firsthand the hazards faced by pedestrians,including areas with limited protection from vehicles and motorcycles.[31] He emphasized that enhancing pedestrian safety is a central objective of the ₱8.7 billion ($156 million) EDSA rehabilitation.[32]
The rehabilitation,the first of its scale since 1980,was to involve the phased replacement of existing road surfaces with new concrete and asphalt,alongside upgrades to pedestrian walkways and drainage systems.[30][31] Dizon also confirmed that key commuter services would remain operational throughout the construction period,including the EDSA Carousel bus system,which would retain its dedicated lane,and an expanded Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) service with additional four-car train sets. These measures,he noted,reflect the administration's commitment to prioritizing commuter needs in the modernization of EDSA.[32]
On June 1,2025,President Marcos ordered the postponement of the rehabilitation to allow for a review of the project's processes.[33]
Personal life
Dizon is married to Essie Romero and they have one daughter.[1]
Awards and recognitions
Dizon received one of the highest civilian honors—the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Bayani—for his contributions to Duterte's Build,Build,Build infrastructure program and the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dizon was named one of People Asia's People of the Year in 2019 for his role in the Philippine economic team and his active role in the implementation of Build,Build,Build.[34]
He is also an Asia CEO Awards 2019 Circle of Excellence Awardee[35] and was featured by Pampanga-based newspaper Punto! as "2018 Man of the Year" for the projects he spearheaded in Clark.[36]
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