Aside from distributing the much-needed food packs and non-food relief items to communities affected by disaster, social workers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also respond to “invisible wounds” caused by the destruction of lives and homes.
“As responders, we are trained to provide food, shelter, and safety, but we must also be prepared to respond to invisible wounds—the psychological and emotional trauma people carry in the wake of disasters,” Asst. Regional Director (ARD) Glorefelia Uayan of the DSWD’s Field Office (FO) 10 – Northern Mindanao said during the upskilling activity of the FO’s Quick Response Teams.
(QRT).
Asst. Regional Director Uayan said the training, held from July 1-3, gave emphasis on the importance of delivering sensitive and timely psychosocial support to disaster-affected individuals and communities.
“The inclusion of psychosocial first aid [in disaster protocol] is a recognition of the varied needs of the affected and the different traumatic effects of calamities,” ARD Uayan said in her message.
The 3-day training aims to enhance the F0-10 QRT’s knowledge and skills in providing psychosocial first aid (PFA) to disaster-affected individuals and families. The PFA is given as an initial support to help families and individuals cope with the effects of a traumatic experience.
The activity is a component of the DSWD’s continuous efforts to improve its Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services, ensuring that disaster response remains effective and compassionate.
Department of Health (DOH) Senior Nurse, Ma. Dolores Mercado, shared her expertise on psychosocial first aid focusing on mental health during emergencies.
Recognizing the significance of the FO 10’s activity, Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Wednesday (July 9) that providing psychosocial services to internally displaced persons is part of the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to ensure a wholistic response during emergencies.
“Our President was very clear in his instructions to ensure that disaster-affected families and individuals be given all assistance that they need to recover. Ito ay para din sa kanilang kapanatagan. This initiative helps us address the psychosocial impact of disasters on people,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, the DSWD spokesperson, said.
The DSWD Northern Mindanao’s training activity was in observance of the Disaster Resilience Month this July. (GDVF)