The Department of Social Welfare and Development‘s (DSWD) Field Offices in the Cagayan Valley (FO-2) and Bicol (FO-5) regions have deployed psychosocial first aid responders to help children and other vulnerable individuals cope with the trauma caused by the recent severe tropical storms that struck the country.
“The effects of the recent tropical cyclones that hit our country have brought emotional distress to some of our kababayans. To help them, the Department deployed psychosocial first aid responders in typhoon-hit areas to mitigate the traumatic impact of the recent disasters on the affected individuals,” Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao said on Friday (November 22).
In Albay province, concerned personnel from the DSWD FO-5 facilitated a psychosocial support activity for 30 children at the Agos Elementary School in the town of Polangui, while 63 children attended another activity in Brgy. Borabod in the Municipality of Libon.
The DSWD Bicol Field Office also provided psychosocial intervention to ease the emotional burden experienced by 21 bereaved families from Canaman and Camaligan towns in Camarines Sur whose loved ones died from the effects of the tropical cyclones Kristine and Leon.
In Milaor town, also in Camarines Sur, the DSWD conducted art therapy with storytelling as a form of psychosocial intervention for nine children while seven children from Sta. Cruz, Canaman received psychological first aid (PFA).
In Cagayan Valley, the DSWD FO-2, through its Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team in Nueva Vizcaya, provided psychosocial support services to two individuals from the Municipality of Ambaguio whose loved ones died from the effects of tropical cyclones Nika, Ofel, and Pepito.
PBBM, DSWD chief bring gov’t aid to 3 Northern Luzon provinces
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and other Cabinet officials in bringing government aid to individuals and families affected by the series of tropical cyclones that battered the country, particularly those hit by Super Typhoon Pepito.
The Presidential team visited Ilagan, Isabela; Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya; and Lingayen, Pangasinan, on Friday (November 22) to distribute aid, in cash and in-kind, under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and their Families (PAFFF).
“Nagtitipon tayo hindi lamang upang magbigay ng tulong sa ating mga mamamayan, kundi upang maghatid ng suporta at pag-asa para sa lahat ng naapektuhan ng magkakasunod na bagyong tumama sa ating bansa,” President Marcos said in his message to PAFFF beneficiaries who gathered at the NRSCC Gymnasium in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
The President told the beneficiaries that different government agencies have joined hands to extend various services to help them cope with the effects of successive typhoons.
“Kasama ang DA [Department of Agriculture], DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] at DOLE [Department of Labor and Employment], titiyakin din nating matutulungan ang bawat pamilyang naapektuhan ng bagyo upang manumbalik ang sigla ng inyong pamumuhay,” President Marcos said.
As part of the whole-of-nation approach, the DSWD distributed cash aid to the beneficiaries from the three provinces under the agency’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
At the presidential team’s first stop in Ilagan, Isabela, some 1,500 farmers and fisherfolk affected by Super Typhoon Pepito received Php10,000 each in cash assistance.
In Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, 500 beneficiaries received Php5,000 each.
At the same time, Php10,000 was extended to 5,000 Pangasinenses—all from the agricultural sector whose livelihoods were compromised by the consecutive storms that hit Northern Luzon.
In addition to the cash aid, the DSWD’s Field Offices in Regions 1 (Ilocos) and 2 (Cagayan Valley) distributed thousands of family food packs (FFPs).
The President also urged the beneficiaries to work with the government to create a safer, more prepared, and more progressive country rooted in unity.
“Mga kababayan, ang laban na ito ay laban nating lahat. Hindi kayang harapin ng pamahalaan ang hamong ito nang nag-iisa… Sama-sama nating itayo ang isang Bagong Pilipinas na mas ligtas, mas handa, mas maunlad — isang bansang may malasakit, pakikipagkapwa at pagkakaisa,” the chief executive said.
The other Cabinet officials who joined the aid-giving activities in the three provinces were Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla; Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rafael Lotilla; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan; and Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cesar Chavez.
