𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐔 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐎 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐊𝐄-𝐇𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝟑𝟓-𝐌 𝐀𝐈𝐃
The Cebu Provincial Government has expanded its assistance to communities devastated by last month’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao, deploying a mental health and psychosocial support team after providing P35 million in financial aid to affected local government units.
On July 8, the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Team of the Cebu Provincial Health Office, in coordination with the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development, was deployed to Sarangani Province to provide psychosocial interventions for survivors of the earthquake that struck General Santos City, Sarangani, and other parts of Mindanao.
The team was providing counseling and psychosocial support to affected individuals and families while distributing essential medicines and MHPSS kits to help address immediate health and emotional needs.
“For many survivors, the effects of a disaster do not end when the shaking stops. Families may continue to experience fear, anxiety, grief, uncertainty, and distress as they deal with damaged homes, disrupted livelihoods, aftershocks, and the long process of recovery,” Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan said.
Catalan said the deployment was carried out under the directive of Gov. Pamela Baricuatro as part of Cebu’s continuing assistance to disaster-hit communities.
Earlier, the Cebu Provincial Government released a total of P35 million in financial assistance, allocating P10 million each to General Santos City and Sarangani Province, and P5 million each to Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental and South Cotabato.
Catalan said the latest mission underscores that disaster response goes beyond financial assistance and infrastructure rehabilitation, recognizing mental health care as an essential component of recovery for communities coping with the effects of a major disaster.
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