The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stated that it is ready to provide critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) to the families of the 44 Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) commandos killed during the armed clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao but deferred it, in the meantime, to give them time to mourn.

“We will wait until the families are ready. We know that  they are still in the mourning period,”  DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said.

CISD is a series of sessions administered by social workers aimed at enabling the victims to overcome the trauma caused by crisis such as loss of a loved one.

Sec. Soliman added that DSWD is reaching out to the bereaved families to also assess them for other possible interventions.

So far, two families from Region I have accepted the assistance offered by DSWD.

DSWD-Field Office I has extended other forms of assistance during the wake of PO2 Ephraim Mejia in Pangasinan.

“We also offered a job to Mrs. Mejia according to her skills. We also referred her to contact persons who can help her process the requirements for claiming the benefits due her,”  Sec. Soliman said.

Mrs. Mejia also voiced her desire to build a house on the lot purchased by her husband.

Meanwhile,  DSWD has to date received P305,886.20 cash donations through the DSWD account for Armed Conflict in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

“We have posted  a daily donations transaction update on our website, dswd.gov.ph,  for transparency,” Sec. Soliman added.

Interested donors may deposit to Landbank of the Philippines (Batasan Branch) Peso Current Account No. 3122-1026-28 under DSWD Donation Account for Armed Conflict in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Sec Soliman also said that the evacuation center in Barangay Daladap, Mamasapano is already closed with the evacuees returning to their homes. ###