DSWD deploys psychological first aid team to Myanmar

Philippine News Agency

FILE: PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID TEAM. Members of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) psychological first aid team before leaving for Myanmar in this undated photo. The team arrived in Yangon on Friday (April 11, 2025) to provide immediate support to survivors of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28. (Photo: Department of Social Welfare and Development – DSWD/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has mobilized its psychological first aid (PFA) team to provide immediate support to survivors of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the team arrived in Yangon on Friday to start their humanitarian mission.

“The DSWD PFA team arrived in Yangon yesterday, April 11. The DSWD, in coordination with other government agencies, is committed to supporting our kababayans (countrymen) and other survivors affected by this tragic disaster,” Dumlao said in a news release on Saturday.

The DSWD eight-member team, composed of a psychologist and social workers, is currently undergoing orientation and planning sessions to ensure smooth coordination and guarantee the effective delivery of services once fully deployed.

The PFA personnel are part of the broader Philippine Rapid Response Deployment Team (RRDT), composed of representatives of the DSWD,the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Health.

Upon arrival in Myanmar, members of the RRDT, along with Philippine embassy officials, accompanied the bereaved families in receiving the ashes of the two Filipino nationals who perished during the earthquake.

In the Philippines, the DSWD has initiated counseling sessions for the families of the affected overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), many of whom were teachers.

The department also extended PHP10,000 in cash assistance to each family of the affected OFWs.

“We are also conducting assessments to determine the need for further medical assistance for family members who depended on the deceased OFWs for their needs,” Dumlao said.

The DSWD’s continuing efforts highlight the Philippine government’s commitment to ensuring that affected Filipinos abroad and their families at home receive comprehensive support in times of crisis.