Tacloban: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is moving toward a broader response to school violence that combines youth mental health, family intervention, and preventive school safety measures following the tragic shooting incidents in Tacloban and Zamboanga City.
According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Undersecretary Fatima Dimaporo informed the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality that the agency is investigating factors common to both incidents, particularly focusing on the mental health of young people. The DSWD is adapting its trauma-informed care approach to address the needs of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University community.
Dimaporo highlighted that mental health is a significant underlying factor affecting today's youth. Experts are set to examine potential contributors such as feelings of isolation, lack of belonging, and exposure to violent online spaces. However, she noted that it is too early to ascertain the precise motivations behind the Zamboanga shooting.
The DSWD's intervention strategies will not be confined to the directly involved individuals but will encompass the individual, family, school, and broader community. The agency is also considering incorporating its Parent Effectiveness Service into the psychosocial programs for the Ateneo community, extending a program traditionally designed for local government units into school settings affected by violence.
On-site, DSWD - Zamboanga Peninsula Director Riduan Hadjimuddin reported that approximately 180 members of the Ateneo de Zamboanga community have received psychosocial support and psychological first aid. Social workers have been mobilized to provide immediate assistance, including financial aid to a wounded student who remains hospitalized, while ongoing coordination with the school and other agencies continues for further interventions.
The response in Zamboanga is informed by lessons learned in Tacloban, where rehabilitation efforts have been ongoing for nearly two months. DSWD - Eastern Visayas Director Grace Subong stated that children under the agency's care following the Tacloban shooting are receiving comprehensive support, including psychological assessments, psychiatric consultations, medical attention, educational support, and legal assistance.
Subong explained that affected children are closely supervised, participating in daily individual sessions and therapeutic activities, while continuing their studies through a partner school. Support extends to the families of victims, teachers, and community members, with social workers assigned to affected families and frontliners receiving training in trauma-informed care and psychological first aid.
Dimaporo emphasized the government's shift toward prevention beyond post-incident rehabilitation. The DSWD Protection Services Bureau plans to conduct a school safety planning workshop with the Department of Education, Department of Justice, and Philippine National Police, educating front-line personnel on child protection laws and enforcement.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the panel, remarked that the incidents in both public and private schools in Tacloban and Zamboanga suggest that the issue transcends differences in school resources. She advocated for a multi-disciplinary approach to identify overlapping factors affecting children and develop interventions to prevent future violent incidents.
