Send actors, comedians to 'Yolanda'-hit Tacloban

MANILA, Philippines - Instead of just bringing relief goods, sending in actors and comedians may be a good idea to uplift the spirits of the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City and other hard-hit areas in the Visayas, a prominent psychiatrist in the Philippines says.

Dr. Lourdes Ignacio of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Philippine Psychiatric Association said that bringing in some form of entertainment to the calamity-hit places will give the victims some sense of importance and self-esteem.

"Hindi naman siguro lahat sila makakatulong. Kung sino man especially yung medyo popular, medyo yung hinahanangan nila, makarating dun eh ang binibigay sa kanilang feeling ay importante sila," Ignacio said on Wednesday at the sidelines of a media forum in Greenhills, San Juan City.

She said the feeling of desperation and lack of self-worth in the survivors is overwhelming which could have a very negative impact on their state of mental health.

"At alam mo sa ngayon, sa place wala ka man lang maupuan na wala na yung bahay mo,  wala na yung mga kagamitan mo, walang-wala ka , nakakapasok na rin yan sa iyong kalooban na wala kang kwenta.

"So mga taong nakakapagbigay sa kanila ng time at pagkakataon na makakabigay sila ng kaunting kaluwagan ng damdamin at makapagbigay sa kanila na: Ay naku importante rin pala ako rito, dumating sila para kakamustahin ako o para bigyan ako ng konting enjoyment or entertain, I think talagang malaking bagay iyon," Ignacio said.

Be a little sensitive

She, however, pointed out that the comedians who would be visiting and entertaining the victims should be a bit sensitive to the plight of people in the place.

"We should tell them (comedians) to be a little sensitive....We love to smile and laugh at the most devastating in our lives. We take a day , a time to cope," Ignacio said.

Aside from  humor, Ignacio said Filipinos are very spiritual in nature and very resilient.

"Pagdadasal ang isang malakas nating magagamit para hindi tayo malugmok sa  sense na walang magawa, walang control. Tulungan o bayanihan, hindi ka puwedeng mag-isa lang dyan.Makisama ka dun sa mga kapitbahay mo tulungan mo, tinutulungan mo na rin ang sarili mo. Ang Pilipino ay malakas ang kanyang kalooban na makakabangon pa rin," she added.

She said the stress debriefing of the victims, especially those who have lost their loved ones should come come side by side with providing adequate relief goods to them.

"Lahat yan importante at this time. Kanya-kanya tayong pasok kung anuman ang ating maitutulong kasi hindi lang naman isang grupo lang ang makatulong dyan. Yung makapagbigay ng relief syempre importante yun.Yung makapagbigay ng pagkakataon na sa isang araw , isang umaga nakakagaan gaan ng kalooban at least nakakatulong din yun," she said.

Ignacio also noted that one of the hardest to treat or process are those with what they call "survivor guilt."

"Ang feeling nya bakit hindi ko sila pinuntahan agad? Kung nandun ako baka nasalba ko pa sila or kaya kasama ka sa isang bahay , tatlo mong kapatid namatay ikaw naiwan. Bakit ako ang pinili na mabuhay pa dito? Bago marating ang punto na may kabuluhan pa na nabuhay ako may purpose pa ang Diyos sa akin ang tatanuning mo ay bakit ako ang nabuhay sila ang namatay?"

"Our program is to address [survivor's guilt]. Kasi hindi pwedeng parang prescription lang...kailangan ng proseso," Ignacio said.