HE NEVER imagined that his hard work, perseverance and commitment to his job would land him a post in the National Government, but that is where he is now.
Jerry Tizon, a former assistant at Davao City Assessors of the city government of Davao, last April 24, was wearing a white barong when he addressed his former co-employees serving the city, but this time as the executive director of the National Book Development Board. That's a long way from being a casual janitor at the City Hall.
“Mga officemates City of Davao, opportunity comes once and one of the real opportunities that came in my life to serve the government in the national level,” said Tizon to the crowd as he announced that the National Book Development Council donated award winning books to the city library.
Tizon got his appointment last February 9 and took his oath of office last March 9. Tizon said that his journey in service as a government official started in the year 1992 as a casual laborer in the City Hall.
“Nag-start ko sa pinakababa, naging casual laborer ko sa Davao City in 1992 (I started in the lowest rung, I became a casual laborer in Davao City in 1992), typically laborer, nag-akyat ang position ko sa Clerk 2 and eventually I was promoted as Records Officer 1 and in 2012, Mayor Sara promoted me to Administrative Officer V, prior to my appointment as an executive director of National Development Board,” he said.
Tizon said that from that humble beginning, he is now pumped up to serve the agency which aims to make books affordable, accessible, with programs which support local writers.
He said that developing books is not totally alien to him, as he had a background in developing modules for trainings before for the City Government of Davao.
“Prior to my assumption as the director of NBDC, I was assigned in City Cooperative, and we are into the development of training modules, training modules is in the form of books also. Being an accredited trainer at City Cooperative Development Office really helped me,” he said.
Tizon said that among the modules he created is the module for cooperative management and governance, records management and conflict management.
He said that all the experiences he had contributed to who he is and the agency he serves today.
“Wala jud ko nagdahom I was surprised nga matawagan. Ingon nila opportunity knocks only once so lahi ra jud panarbaho sa kauluhan (I did not really expect it, I was surprised when someone called up. They said that opportunity knocks only once, and working in the national government different),” he said.
Tizon said that their family is not well off, and this became an inspiration to work hard and persevere in any job he got. Having stared at poverty face to face, he told himself that he cannot be tied to it.
His father was a fisherman who could barely provide for their family and so he also experienced having to eke out a living as a trisikad driver, a fish vendor, a jeepney conductor and barker, and a construction worker.
“So when I applied in 1992, immediately after, nag-enroll ko ug eskwela (Thus when I applied and was accepted in 1992 in the City Government, I immediately enrolled)," he said.
He applied for and was accepted as casual janitor.
“Para sa akoa ang pinaka-tool nga magamit sa tanang tao ka yang makahuman ug eskwela, kay kung makahuman ta naa na 'tay edge ug competitive ta (For me education is the best tool for every person to have edge and to be competitive)," he said Tizon got his bachelor degree at St. Peter's College of Toril and his law degree at the University of Mindanao.
As a national official, Tizon said that the primary goal of their agency right now is to assist who wants to publish books at the same time they want to assist publishers who want to import raw materials.
“Once we certify them (publishers) tax exempt or duty free siya, in such a way ma-assure we can assure that the books will be affordable and with good quality,” he said.
He said that they aim for more book developments in the local level, adding that they are eyeing to empower stakeholders to develop books in local history in their locality.
Tizon believes that many authors in Davao City have the capacity but they cannot just access the services because it is in the national level.
He said that they will be redeploying personnel in the local level, hoping that they will link authors to publishers, so that once these authors finish their manuscript they can bring it to the publisher for publishing.
Tizon said that they link with stakeholders, book associations that they counterpart, they give assistance to the writers by providing them grant to financially assist the authors as they develop their books.