FR. ELISEO R. MERCADO, JR., OMI, Ph.D.

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, Jr.  is  a  religious  of  the  Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). He studied Theology and Missiology at the Gregorian University in Rome and Islamic Studies at the University of Cairo, Egypt.

For many years, he was the parish priest at the Muslim-populated town of Datu Piang, Maguindanao. Today he continues to be active in peace-building processes in Mindanao, where as president of the Notre Dame University in Cotabato City, he established the Institute of Peace Education.

For his peace-building efforts, he received the following   presidential  citations: the Presidential  Award  given  by   President   Corazon   Aquino for Outstanding Community Service;   the   Presidential  Citation   for  Outstanding   Service   and Contribution to Peace given by President Fidel Ramos for his participation in the Government of the Republic of the Philippines-Moro National   Liberation Front (GRP-MNLF) Peace Process  and  his  Role  in  the  Southern  Philippines Council for Peace and  Development  (SPCPD)  Consultative Assembly; and the Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Fellowship Award for Outstanding Community Service for his service and commitment to the Peace Process and Peace Building efforts in Mindanao.

He was formerly Director of the OMI-JPIC Service in  Rome, where his expertise in “Peace  Mediation and  Islam” has led  the  OMI to the United Nations as an accredited NGO to the European Union through the Africa-Europe Faith Justice Network, and to the World Social Forum.  He is back in the country and still very much involved in the “peace process” and other pastoral concerns of the OMI congregation.

Dr. Mercado has been a member of International Academic Advisory Board since 2002.