Northern Philippine Times newspaper assistant editor, resto cook, English teacher of lawyers passes Bar exams

Alfred A. Dizon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines – The assistant editor of a North Luzon newspaper based in this capital town is now a lawyer after passing the Philippine Bar exams.

Alfred Antonio “Jay” Dizon Jr., 33, of the Northern Philippine Times passed the Bar exams, results of which were released by the Supreme Court on April 29.

Dizon was one of around 8,000 examinees who took the Philippine Bar exams November 2019 wherein around a little more than 2,000 passed. Dizon Jr., along with his brothers and sisters had been working pro bono for the NPT ever since he was a high school student in various capacities as folder, errand boy, distributor, representative for court raffles, assistant editor among other work related to the newspaper.

He took up his elementary education at the Sagada Central School, Saint Vincent’s School in Bontoc and graduated at Bontoc Central School in Mountain Province.

Dizon later took up secondary education at SVS in his first two years and continued his studies at Benguet National High School here in La Trinidad where he graduated. 

In 2010, he earned a degree graduating a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (major in English) course at Benguet State University also in La Trinidad.

Before earning the same, he studied Bachelor of Science in Nursing on his first year at the Saint Louis University then continued it in Baguio Central University.

Having a change of heart, he transferred to Benguet State University to take Bachelor of Science in Statistics for a year then finally settling with Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring in English for three years until he graduated.

During his time in Benguet State University, he was scholar student for two years by juggling between his studies and his duties as a member of the university’s official dance troupe.

In addition, he contributed feature articles to the university’s official newsletter, The Mountain Collegian.

While taking up undergrad studies, he was a working student doing odd jobs as waiter or cook at Greenwich Pizza Restaurant also in the capital town.  

After finishing his BSSE course, he worked as a customer support representative with Intercontinental Hotels Group, an internationally-affiliated Hotel Servicing Company.

After working with the company for a year, he decided to apply the skills from his degree and worked as English teacher at JIC International Language Academy in Baguio City among other schools. 

In 2012, he finished an Associate in Computer Technology (CSS NCII) course at the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) in Baguio City.

In between, Dizon Jr. taught newspaper lay-outing among other topics in journalism seminars in schools and agencies where his father Alfred P. Dizon, Northern Philippine Times publisher-editor taught, going as far as remote Paracelis National High School in Mountain Province.

Government agencies where the father and son tandem taught journalism and communications in seminars included the regional Dept. of Agrarian Reform Cordillera.   

Driven by his childhood passion to contribute to society, he later took up his first two years of law in Baguio City at the University of the Cordilleras.

While studying at UC, he worked to pay financial requirements of the school.

This included working as office assistant at Saint Louis Review Center for three months and as legal researcher at one of his professor’s law office.

His third year was at Saint Louis University and fourth was University of Baguio where he graduated as “Jurist Doctor” on April 2019.

While taking up law in said schools, he also taught online Business English and related consultancy services to professionals engaged in commercial servicing industries such as investment, banking, retail, manufacturing, procurement, finance, information, sales, health, engineering, research, tele-communications among others.

                He also provided English legal assistance to lawyers employed in law firms and private business organizations and assisted lawyers in drafting legal e-mails and making presentation materials about legal topics.

                Dizon also provided various types of English legal assistance to lawyers enrolled in Masters’ schools.

                These included giving detailed explanations on American case laws, editing of American case briefs and others.

                Since 2016 to date, he was a professional business consultant of Manila-based Bizmates Philippines, Inc.

                Dizon Jr. hails from Mountain Province in the tourist town of Sagada where his father traces his roots and Bontoc where his mother Consolacion “Babette” Antonio Dizon comes from.  

                “Lawyering is not all about fame, reputation, wealth, and legacy, rather lawyering is an obligation to contribute to society.” Dizon Jr. said. “Lawyers have a major role in creating a more just and humane society, which I intend to do.”