20 June 2012

Mindanao, Philippines: Carlos Cerezo, a former UN Volunteer, was a UNV Relief and Rehabilitation Specialist with UNDP in the war-affected communities of the southern Philippines in the Special Zone of Peace and Development (SZOPAD), from 2001 to 2003. According to Carlos, touching lives and helping to rebuild confidence and communities for peace and development is what inspired him then and continues to inspire him today.

Carlos assessed the overall situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and supported the management of the evacuation camps in close coordination with government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). He developed a database system for IDPs, relief goods and security incidents to serve as a management tool for decision-making.

At the height of the armed-conflict when there was massive displacement in Central Mindanao affecting the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, this database development was essential in that it provided a way to update operational data, keep track of movements of IDPs, and provide security monitoring. This database system was a big help in analyzing the overall situation in Central Mindanao and other areas by creating the capacity to keep track of the frequency of relief operations, stocks of relief goods and non-food items.

"As a result of my experience as a UN Volunteer, it is clear to me that volunteerism promotes social cohesion and builds trust. There is always a spirit of compassion and readiness to share knowledge and expertise."
-- Carlos Cerezo, former UNV Relief and Rehabilitation Specialist

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Bio:
Carlos comes from Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines and served as a national UN Volunteer. Before becoming a UNV Relief and Rehabilitation Specialist, Carlos had several years of work experience. This includes working as a Corporate Support Officer for the Australian Agency for International Development / Philippines-Australia Special Community Assistance (PASCATS) for the SZOPAD area. He also worked as an Information Management Assistant for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) / Mobile Information, Referral and Community Assistance Service (IOM-MIRCAS). His most recent engagement was with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) where he was deployed at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) field office in Cotabato City, Mindanao as a Field Associate.