Eusebio Dizon, pioneering Filipino archaeologist
Tributes have poured in for Dr. Eusebio “Bong” Dizon, who recently passed away at the age of 69, leaving a legacy in the field of archaeology in the Philippines.
Born on Jan. 25, 1956, Dizon started his career at the National Museum of the Philippines as a researcher in 1977 and obtained his master’s and doctorate degrees in Anthropology/Archaeology, specializing in archaeometallurgy.
He was the founding director of the Archaeological Studies Program (now the School of Archaeology) of the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 1995, where he also taught for a long time.
In 2023, Dizon was awarded by Holy Angel University in Pampanga the Juan D. Nepomuceno Cultural Award for Research and Scholarship.
A native of Mabalacat, Pampanga, he was involved in many capacities in the research of many aspects of archaeology, from the paleolithic period to protohistory, as well as underwater and maritime archaeology.
He was head of the Underwater Archaeology Section of the Archaeology Division, now the Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division of the National Museum, and was president of the group Kapisanan ng mga Arkeologist sa Pilipinas, Inc.
Dizon was involved in many “landmark archaeological projects” in the country including the investigation of the San Diego shipwreck off Nasugbu in Batangas; the re-excavation of Tabon Cave in Quezon, Palawan; and the recovery of anthropomorphic burial jars in Maitum, Sarangani.
According to the National Museum, “These archaeological discoveries significantly enriched our understanding of Philippine prehistory and history.”
Dizon also authored many publications and scholarly articles on archaeology in the Philippines.
“His accomplishments and contributions to archaeological science in the Philippines earned him the rank of Career Scientist III by the Department of Science and Technology,” notes the National Museum.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Dizon’s family and the scientific community as we fondly celebrate his invaluable contributions to the National Museum of the Philippines and the field of Philippine archaeology,” it said.
Precision talk
For scholar and curator Marian Pastor Roces, Dizon was an exhaustive archaeologist with much ardor for his work.
“Bong was a thorough archaeologist, with great passion for science,” she said, adding that “in this season of grave inaccuracies, I will so seriously miss precision talk.”
With his passing, she said, “He himself had just become an ancestor.”
His former student at UP, the Kapampangan scholar-educator Joel Mallari, likewise paid tribute to his mentor, saying his demise resonates in the scientific and academic community not only in the country, but also in the world.
“His contributions to the study of prehistory, including his reexamination of the Calatagan pot and the in-depth study of the Maitum jars, among others, cemented his place as one of the towering pillars of modern archaeological exploration in the country,” he said.
Mallari said Dizon was a mentor, field leader, and a man of generosity.
“He didn’t just dig into the past—he unearthed its meaning and made it matter,” he said of his trusted adviser.
