Dagyaw sa Antique Project: Psychosocial Support + Chiropractic Treatment + Community-Meal & Gift-Giving to Typhoon Haiyan Survivors

by Pangga Gen

Between Malalison Island and Mt. Madya-as in Culasi, Antique, the ricefields. Here are barangays described as interior. One is Janlagasi, named after the alagasi (Leucosyke capitellata)tree. Barangay Captain Mariet Barcenal, 59, a widow, informed us they are the third smallest barangay in town with only more than 200 population, mainly farmers. Relief operation did not reach them. But they too, they insisted, were ravaged by supertyphoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan). A participant said: “Kisra lang nag-abot si Yolanda, pero adlaw-adlaw, daw may Yolanda sa amun sulod-balay”(Yolanda only came once, but everyday, it is as if there’s Yolanda in our house).

We visited them on the afternoon of January 04 for the psychosocial support, chiropractic treatment, community-meal, and gift-giving. We spent the morning of January 05 for more chiropractic treatment and a lecture-seminar on mental health and psychosocial support services for the community leaders.

Here’s an overview of our story with them:

They came and registered…

Most of them drew about destroyed houses and fallen trees. One drew a spaceship. Another one, an alien.

Pearl Joy Asenjo, trained and experienced psychosocial facilitator with the Ateneo de Davao University, led our psychosocial support, with the ‘Ang Kuwento ng Pagdadala’ framework.

Jessie Frencillo, an active ministry servant, our psychosocial co-leader, tucked participants’ answers on their coping mechanisms – ‘ang tulay’ sa ‘Ang Kuwento ng Pagdadala.’

Community-singing opened our engagement.

Ms. Aylyn Villojan, our townmate from Dao, a successful business analyst, volunteered with us.

Zurick Sumugat, our local host & coordinator, led a community-singing of ‘Pusong Bato.’

Their sharing revealed the following top issues: lost of livelihood & heightened family conflicts; their teen-age sons and daughters, for instance, are no longer motivated to go to school: they now want to work and earn in order to help their family. But there is no job available around for them.