The Psychosocial Team of NCMH headed by Thelma Singson – Barrera, RN , in – charge of the Psychosocial Program, in three (3) consecutive months, were deployed to provide Psychosocial support to survivors and relatives of the recent traumatic events that hit the country.
Tuguegarao Hotel fire - December 21-23, 2010. Shortly before Christmas, the team went to Santiago City, Isabela to provide Grief Processing to the bereaved families of those who perished in the hotel blaze in Tuguegarao City killing 9 nurses who were hours away from taking the Nurses Licensure exams. Likewise Psychosocial processing was provided to the survivors, some relatives and the faculty of La Salette University, where the casualties graduated.
This service provision was spearheaded by the Chief Nurse, Mrs. Lucila O. Espinosa, who took the initiative of providing this help. The Team was composed of the Chief Nurse, Thelma Barrera, Venus Cariño, Patrick Chavez, Jose Juan Jr and Jose Marie Iporac – all nurses.
Bus bombing, Buendia Edsa, Makati - January 26 & 27, 2011. Another team composed of the following: Thelma Barrera, Constancio Paubsanon Jr (psychologist), Patrick Chavez, Jose Juan Jr, Rocky Chu Nurses) , Erick Villa (social worker), Joshua Magsumbol (nutritionist), & Fritzel Pacheco (nursing attendant), provided informal debriefing and psychoeducation to survivors/ relatives at the St. Luke’s Medical Center (Global), and Grief Processing to families of those who died in the bus bombing in Buendia, Edsa, Makati on January 25, killing 5 innocent passengers. Coordination was done with DOH-HEMS under Director Carmencita A. Banatin & DSWD Usec. Cecile Yangco , NCR Director Alice Bonoan, and management of St. Luke’s.
Navotas Fire - February 1, 2011. The following psychosocial care specialists: Thelma Barrera, Cons Paubsanon, Patrick Chavez, Cristy Ponteres & Fritzel Pacheco provided Psychosocial support (defusing) to survivors, and Grief Processing to the bereaved families of the 10 casualties. This service provision was coordinated with the CHD-NCR thru Dr. Paz Corrales, and the local health office of Navotas City thru Dr. Lily Domingo.
All these efforts were under the supervision of the Medical Center Chief of the National Center for Mental Health, Dr. Bernardino A. Vicente, head of the DOH - Psychosocial Cluster.
