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We just came back from Tacloban where we did a series of interventions consisting of psychological first aid, stress management training, and community problem solving. We also trained teachers and guidance counselors and psychology graduates because there is a serious dearth of mental health practitioners in this region.
Six weeks after Yolanda, some are already on their way to recovery. But there are those who are still acutely distressed. Many of the stories were heart wrenching - people in the second floor of the Astrodome who watched those in the first floor tossed around when the water came in. Many have no homes left or have no roof. Beyond the frightening experience during the storm, they are still kept awake at night by stories of robberies and rapes. Most haven’t slept soundly in the past six weeks. Our hearts went out to the team of men whose job it was to pick up dead bodies and bury them day after day. They were glassy-eyed and exhausted.
There was heartache not just from the storm but from the lack of support from their employers and government. They know what they need. In our workshops, they not only identified their problems, they also brainstormed solutions at the community level, at the organization level, and the national level. Some needs are simple – a batuta, a whistle a solar power flashlight just to make them feel more secure. But what most really need are financial help and materials to rebuild their homes.
Yet beyond the trauma and homelessness were stories of salvation and miracles. There was Nina who doesn't really like dogs but accepted one from a friend a week before the storm. The puppy woke her up with incessant barking in the morning of the storm. She attempted to go out of their dorm but the dog ran further inside so she had to go get it. On hindsight, she would have been drowned if she had gone outside. As water filled their one-story building, she found herself hanging on to the rafters. As time passed, she found herself growing weary and it was her puppy that kept her awake – licking her face so she wouldn’t fall asleep.
Ness, like many civil servants, helped distribute relief goods to others even when she lost her own home. There is Tina who is barraged by complaints from people and is frustrated by her own organization but continues to do what she can to serve her country and people even at personal costs. Susan had to borrow shoes just so she could come and be presentable. One of the participants drove six hours on motorcycle and another walked 20 kilometers just to catch a ride to where we were.
There are those who despite losing everything are giving to others. Susan is a 16-year old who lost her family but figured that God spared her so that she could care for other kids who are orphans too. Mang Leo is a massage therapist who lost his entire home and is living with relatives. He chooses to look at his blessings, ‘Gamit lang yan –mas importante buhay kami.” His action plan at the end of our workshop was to organize his colleagues to give free massages to evacuation centers.
I went to Tacloban wanting to bring hope. I came back filled with awe at people who not only had to pick themselves up with little help but continue give of themselves to others. With Christmas just around the corner, many are like Mary and Joseph who are without a shelter and protection. They are a people waiting not just for the Messiah but for their leaders to step up and show them the way. Little do they know that there are already many saviors among them.
Dr. Gina Hechanova is the President of the Psychological Association of the Philippines and the Chair of the Department of Psychology. All names cited have been changed.
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