March 29, 2024

The City Social Welfare and Development Office has catered to 4,447 Covid-19 patients from Jan. 1 to June 15.

CSWDO Deputy Head Liza Bulayungan said of the number, 2,115 were extended psychological first aid in collaboration with the City Health Services Office and the Outstanding Women Leaders organization.

Aside from psychological first aid, Bulayungan said 2,487 of the patients and other families affected by granular lockdowns were given family food packs and other support services.

She said it was alarming that for the first semester of 2021, there were 19 reported suicide cases compared with the 24 cases recorded for the whole of last year. Sixteen of the victims were males and three were females. Their ages ranged from 20 to 30 years old.

Bulayungan said depression was the main culprit for the suicide due to stressful life events, mental health issues and disorders, and family and financial problems among other factors.

“Apart from financial assistance, psychological first aid was provided the bereaved families of suicide victims to initiate and enhance the healing process of their emotional and psychological trauma to prevent the contagion effect,” she said.

The CSWDO also extended financial assistance, psychological first aid, and other social protective services to 70 returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) referred by the International Social Services Office through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Bulayungan said majority of the ROFs are those who lost their employment due to the pandemic. – Gaby B. Keith