ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DSWD starts trauma support for students after Zamboanga school shooting

DSWD starts trauma support for students after Zamboanga school shooting

Published Aug 20, 2026 12:57 pm  |  Updated Aug 20, 2026 01:01 pm

At A Glance

  • Eight students aged 11 to 14 received pyschological first aid from DSWD mental health professionals on Aug. 19, a day after the shooting incident involving a minor.
  • DSWD-Field Office 9 in Zamboanga Peninsula is set to provide PFA to ADZU teachers and staff on Aug. 20.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian led a meeting with officials of Ateneo de Zamboanga University on Wednesday, Aug. 19, to assess the situation and discuss further interventions for students and other members of the school community affected by the Aug. 18 shooting incident. (DSWD photo)
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian led a meeting with officials of Ateneo de Zamboanga University on Wednesday, Aug. 19, to assess the situation and discuss further interventions for students and other members of the school community affected by the Aug. 18 shooting incident. (DSWD photo)
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started providing psychological first aid (PFA) to students affected by the shooting incident at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU).
Eight students aged 11 to 14 received PFA from DSWD mental health professionals on Aug. 19, a day after the shooting incident involving a minor.
“The intervention provided by the DSWD to the students was done in a safe and supportive space where they could process their emotions, express their concerns, and learn healthy coping strategies as they deal with the psychological impact of the traumatic experience,” DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said on Thursday, Aug. 20.
DSWD-Field Office 9 in Zamboanga Peninsula is set to provide PFA to ADZU teachers and staff on Thursday as the agency expands its response beyond the students directly affected by the incident.
The department also plans to provide aftercare services and other interventions, including Enhanced Trauma-Informed Care, medical assistance and Parent Effectiveness Sessions (PES), depending on the needs of those affected.
Dumlao said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured school administrators that the agency would continue supporting the school community during a meeting following the incident.
“As the Secretary instructed, next week the Department scheduled a Trauma Psychosocial Support Training for frontline responders and duty-bearers who responded in the Zamboanga school shooting incident,” Dumlao said.
“Our aim is to teach responders with appropriate knowledge and skills to ensure that they are equipped to provide psychosocial support and are sensitive to the needs of trauma survivors,” she added.
The multidisciplinary training is intended to equip responders and other stakeholders with skills to provide appropriate psychosocial support and aftercare to trauma survivors.

Related Tags

DSWD ATENEO DE ZAMBOANGA UNIVERSITY (ADZU) SECRETARY REX GATCHALIAN PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ static_articles_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.