The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office XII, together with the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) Cluster, has deployed psychosocial support teams to evacuation centers across General Santos City to assist families affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck on June 8.
Psychosocial Support for Evacuees
On June 11, the MHPSS Cluster, together with the DOH XII team, Batang Star Philippines Inc., and UNTV, deployed teams to provide mental health and psychosocial support to displaced families, particularly children and elderly individuals who experienced trauma during the earthquake and the ongoing aftershocks.
The initiative aims to address the psychological impact of the disaster, which caused significant loss of life, property damage, and widespread displacement across the city.
President Marcos Announces Mental Health Support
During his visit to General Santos City on June 10, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. committed to providing mental health support services for students traumatized by the earthquake. Speaking with teachers and students at GenSan National High School, he promised government support in coordination with the Department of Health.
Key mental health response efforts include:
- Deployment of trained psychosocial first aid responders to evacuation centers across GenSan
- Stress debriefing sessions for children, parents, and elderly evacuees
- Play therapy activities for children to help process trauma in a safe environment
- Referral systems for individuals requiring specialized mental health care
- Coordination between DOH, local health offices, and volunteer organizations
- Community-based support groups to foster resilience and mutual aid
Broader Recovery Context
The earthquake affected more than 149,000 individuals from over 33,000 families across the region. In General Santos City alone, the quake caused at least 30 fatalities, hundreds of injuries, and massive damage to infrastructure including schools, hospitals, and commercial buildings.
Psychosocial support is considered a critical component of disaster recovery, helping communities process trauma and rebuild their sense of safety and normalcy.
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