The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has expanded psychosocial interventions for children, women, and other vulnerable groups staying in evacuation centers in quake-hit areas of Sarangani, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Thursday.
Gatchalian said the agency continues to prioritize not only food and water assistance but also psychosocial support to help affected families cope with trauma following the earthquake.
In Glan, Sarangani, the DSWD Field Office 12 and partner agencies conducted child-friendly activities for 20 child evacuees aimed at helping them process emotions, reduce stress, and regain a sense of stability after the disaster.
As of June 18, the DSWD’s Angels in Red Vests (ARVs) have reached 168 beneficiaries in child-friendly spaces across evacuation centers and provided psychological first aid to 74 individuals through play therapy, art sessions, and other psychosocial activities.
DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said field offices in Mindanao continue Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) operations to ensure the safety, comfort, and welfare of internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly children and women.
Based on the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) data, 5,203 families or 22,655 individuals remain in 48 evacuation centers, while 16,673 families or 63,351 individuals are staying with relatives or friends.
In total, 358,621 families or about 1.5 million individuals have been affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake across 590 barangays in four regions in Mindanao.
The agency also reported that P270.26 million worth of assistance has already been distributed to affected communities.
Meanwhile, in Malacañang, personnel from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) participated in the Second Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) held at the New Executive Building, as part of ongoing disaster preparedness measures.