Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said today that the DSWD has released P373,500 as burial assistance to the five (5) fatalities of the January 25 bus bombing in Buendia (North Bound),  EDSA in Makati City.

The DSWD also provided hospitalization assistance amounting to P18,710.18, for the family of Johnlie Daquioag, one of the fatalities.

The five (5) fatalities were identified as Jhohanson Reyes, Shirley Criselle Ausena, Irish Teñiola, Salusiano Mariño and Johnlie Daquioag.

Eleven (11) victims are still undergoing medical treatment at St. Luke’s Hospital, Ospital ng Makati in Bel Air and Pembo, and in Makati Medical Center.  Three victims have been discharged from the hospitals.

Secretary Soliman stated that aside from the financial and burial assistance extended, disaster teams composed of DSWD social workers and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) practitioners also provided emotional and psychological support and counseling to the survivors, bereaved families and relative of the victims.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is a process that prevents or limits the development of post-traumatic stress in people exposed to critical incidents.  Professionally conducted debriefings help people cope with, and recover from traumatic effects of an incident.  CISD enables participants to understand that they are not alone in their reactions to a distressing event, and provides them with an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings in a controlled, safe environment.  CISD is conducted within 24 to 72 hours after an incident, provided the victims or survivors are ready and willing to discuss the traumatic occurrence.

Meanwhile, the DSWD is continuously coordinating with the Newman Goldliner bus company for its counterpart assistance to the victims and their families.  ### (DSWD-Social Marketing Service) 27 January 2011