Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the Department of Health (DOH) has initiated crucial aid for Filipinos returning from Gaza by prioritizing psychosocial support for those affected by the conflict's distress and trauma.
"Since the beginning, our Health Emergency Management Bureau has been in close coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), providing psychosocial support, especially given the stress and trauma stemming from the bombings in Gaza," Herbosa said in an interview on the sidelines of the DOH and United Nations signing ceremony on Nov. 13.
The DOH chief confirmed that 139 Filipinos have returned safely, but no physical injuries were sustained.
However, the impact is attributed to mental and psychological strain from war.
"These individuals left behind not just jobs but also the compassionate roles they held, often caring for people with disabilities and the elderly. So isipin mo ‘yun, aalis ka tapos iiwanan mo ‘yung inaalagaan mo for many years because there’s war (So imagine this, you'll leave and abandon the person you've been caring for, for many years, because of the war)," Herbosa said.
He emphasized previous lessons, saying, "We've learned so much in war that later on, when we pull them out, it's more expensive, so if they like to come home, we will actually bring them home."