The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday received a P5 million cash donation from actor Robin Padilla intended for the psychosocial intervention of children who have been affected by the ongoing armed conflict in Marawi City.

DSWD Undersecretary for General Administration and Support Services Group, Emmanuel A. Leyco received the donation in a ceremonial turnover witnessed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte himself at the President’s Hall in Malacañan Palace, together with National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año.

Mr. Padilla was joined by Fisheries Development Authority General Manager Glen A. Pangapalan, Frabelle Foods Corporation President Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., and his brother, Mr. Rommel C. Padilla.

Also present during the ceremony were DSWD Undersecretary for Operations and Protective Programs Hope V. Hervilla and Undersecretary for Institutional Development Group Mae Fe Ancheta-Templa.

After the turnover ceremony, the DSWD executives, together with other national government agency-members of the Task Force Bangon Marawi, attended a meeting convened by the President on the reconstruction and recovery of war-torn Marawi City.

Psychological intervention to IDPs

The DSWD continues to provide psychosocial intervention to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), including children, from Marawi City who are experiencing emotional trauma and stress brought by the ongoing armed conflict in the city.

“Nakikipagtulungan po tayo sa Department of Health (DOH) sa patuloy na pagbibigay ng stress debriefing and psychosocial stress therapy sa mga IDPs na nasa evacuation center (We are working with the DOH in the continuous provision of stress debriefing session and psychosocial stress therapy to our IDPs in the evacuation center),” Usec. Hervilla said via phone patch interview over a radio news program. The Undersecretary is the Department’s coordinator of its Marawi crisis relief efforts.

She said the DSWD maintains women and children-friendly spaces in various evacuation centers to cater to the special needs of women and children. Activities to help children cope with trauma brought by the armed conflict are conducted in the child-friendly spaces.  These activities include storytelling, drawing, and play therapies.

Meanwhile, women-friendly spaces are utilized by breastfeeding mothers. They provide internally-displaced women with a safe place to meet, talk, and help each other.

“Yung psychosocial debriefing naman natin, this is long-term, habang hindi pa nakakabalik ang mga IDPs sa kanilang normal na pamumuhay (Our psychological debriefing is long-term. It will be provided as long as our IDPS have not returned yet to their normal lives),” Usec. Hervilla added.

According to research, psychosocial intervention helps reduce anxiety and lessen the likelihood of developing post-traumatic symptoms among individuals who have been exposed to traumatic events.

“Talagang napakahirap ng dinaranas ng ating mga evacuees kaya nararapat lamang na mabigyan sila ng sapat na tulong, mapa-pisikal man o emosyonal(What the evacuees have been experiencing is really difficult so it is very important to address their needs, both physical and emotional),” Usec. Hervilla said.

As of August 15, a total of 78,466 families or 359,680 persons have been displaced by the armed conflict in Marawi, based on the Disaster Assistance Family Access Cards (DAFAC) of the DSWD. ###