The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its field office in Region 12, deployed on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at least 20 social workers to address the emotional toll of the recent 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Mindanao on Nov. 17.
The DSWD’s social workers provided psychosocial intervention, through stress debriefing sessions, to 80 personnel of the Golden State College in General Santos City.
“This initiative underscores that not all disasters can be addressed solely by providing food packs,” said Naira Aratuc, chief of the Disaster Response Management Division of the DSWD-SOCCSKSARGEN.
The provision of psychosocial aid is part of the Critical Incident and Stress Debriefing program of the DSWD, which is a crisis intervention strategy designed to mitigate the traumatic impact of disasters on individuals.
Aratuc said the debriefing session’s focus was to help the victims cope effectively by providing them with the necessary tools to navigate the emotional aftermath of the earthquake.
“The agency also prioritizes the mental and psychological well-being of the victims affected by the earthquake," Aratuc added.
The DSWD has committed to its mission of addressing not only the immediate needs of disaster-affected communities but also the long-term resilience and well-being of traumatized individuals.