Alvin Dizon, then and now

Some 20 years back, we met Alvin Dizon, a very young youth leader helping the poor in an urban community in Cebu City. Until now, he continues to be always on the side of the poor, the disadvantaged, sharing and doing what he can for them best he can.

Alvin shared that his “social development advocacies as an NGO worker for almost 20 years were extensively focused on key development and sectoral issues involving urban poor and housing rights, trade union rights, gender equality, active citizenship and participatory local governance. We engaged both local and national governments in the arena of policy and legislative advocacy to push for measures that would recognize and protect basic human rights of marginalized sectors of Philippine society.”

From civil society, we saw Alvin invited to run, win, and serve the people of Cebu City as councilor from 2010 to 2016. He served as chairman of the following committees: housing, youth and sports and development, and education.

For Alvin, “the elections of 2010 and 2013 was a victory of the mass movement and civil society groups who backed our candidacy and made it as a political project in order to push for reforms in local governance in the City of Cebu. As City Councilor, he remained steadfast in our ideals and committed to work even harder for a much broader constituency and with a greater sense of public accountability.”

He passed 35 ordinances, 900 resolutions, and 104 committee reports. His advocacy for the urban poor continued – he authored ordinances on housing and urban poor rights (specifically the Cebu City Shelter Plan, the Socialized Housing Trust Fund, the Slum Improvement Resettlement Program Extension and the Transfer Tax Exemption for Socialized Housing Beneficiaries).

Worth mentioning is his Barangay Employment Ordinance.

He also prioritized education in his ordinances - the Creation of the Scholarship Program Committee, Graduation Fees Subsidy, Cash Incentive for Honor Graduates, and the Creation of the Cebu City College.

His ordinances for the senior citizens and the PWDS deserve special mention and applause - free parking for senior citizens and PWDs throughout Cebu City, the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Policy, and, Barrier-Free Tourism.

As councilor, he received the following awards: 1.) Outstanding Cebu City Councilor, 12th Sangguniang Panlungsod for passing pro-poor legislations (award given by Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young), 2.) Outstanding Cebu City Councilor, 13th Sangguniang Panlungsod for passing second most number of ordinances (award given by acting Vice Mayor Nestor Archival), 3.) Plaque and Certificate of Appreciation from various NGOs, People's Organizations and Educational Institutions for promoting the rights and welfare of the marginalized sectors such as the urban poor, LGBT, PWDs, elderly, women and youth, 4.) Awardee, Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards (CAMMA 2011) for hosting “DYRC Urban Poor in Action” as Best in Radio Development Communication Category, among others.

In 2016, Alvin signed the report of the Committee on Environment rejecting the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Barangay Sawang Calero, Cebu City, because he knew and believed that coal plants are heavy emitters of carbon dioxide and to construct a coal-fired power plant will have serious health and environmental effects. Alvin also believed that putting up a coal plant is contrary to the Philippine commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030 under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

At present, Alvin continues to serve the people as consultant at the Office of the Mayor and as chairman of the Cebu City Anti-Discrimination Commission and the Cebu City Sister Cities Commission.

Remember Alvin Dizon, his public commitment and service. Vote wisely in 2019!