Filipino UN volunteers bring hope to Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipino workers from the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are playing a vital role in peace building and promoting sustainable development in conflict areas of Mindanao. Gathering strength and inspiration from their families and the country, Zalave Dinas and Roy Pamitalan continue to serve the communities despite myriad challenges and security concerns.

“You work not because of money but because you feel that people need your work,” says Zalave Larry Dinas, a UNV Water and Sanitation Officer assigned to Unicef in Cotabato. Since May 2008, he has helped nearly 30,000 displaced families living in evacuation camps to cope with their plight by providing technical advice, guidance and support to make sure their basic needs are met, most especially the need for safe water.

Prior to joining UNV, he had been working for the ACT (Action for Conflict Transformation) for Peace Program, a United Nations joint program implemented by the government of the Philippines with support from the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Spain and European Commission.

“I consider volunteering to be one of the biggest parts of my life as I live with it wherever I go,” says Larry, who wants to best use the skills and education he has attained for the benefit of the community he grew up in.

Larry feels the need in the country for more volunteers. “It takes everyone’s effort to move a nation, it’s not only the government’s responsibility but every Filipino as well. We need the people’s cooperation for our country to develop, we must help each other out and not be dependent on the government alone,” he says.

Roy Pamitalan, UNV Information Technology Specialist, is assigned to a development project jointly supported by UNV, Mindanao State University (MSU) and Cisco, a US-based IT company that provides an opportunity for teachers to expand their IT skills.

“I believe that voluntary work is a demonstration of human solidarity in action that benefits those who give as much as those who receive,” says Roy, who has been serving as a UNV volunteer for the past four years.

Coming from Davao, a bustling city where he grew up, Roy at first found it difficult to adjust to the ambience of a small town. Many stores are closed by 9 p.m. in Iligan City, availability of supplies is very limited or non-existent, and there is not enough water supply. In addition, conflict is a reality in Iligan and it affects daily lives in many ways.

“I often had to give up traveling to schools in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) due to heightened conflict. There are instances when we had to cancel trips and weren’t able to receive supplies. We lacked materials that prevented us from making our service effective,” says Roy, who nevertheless soon fell in love with the simple, tranquil lifestyle of Iligan. “People here tend to live a simple lifestyle and, unlike in Davao, you won’t encounter any heavy traffic.”

“Filipino UNV volunteers make distinguished contributions to bring about peace and development in Mindanao,” says Renauld Meyer, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) country director. “Their commitment, combined with their expertise and experiences, can inspire other Filipinos to take part in peace building and community development and to be involved in making the nation a better place for the next generation.”

The UNV program is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and by the idea that everyone can contribute their time and energy towards peace and development.

With its partners, UNV advocates for volunteerism, integrates volunteerism into development planning and mobilizes volunteers around the world. Delivering on that potential is UNV’s mission.