April 11, 2016, 11:13p.m. – THE UNIVERSITY is coordinating with the Diocese of Kidapawan to provide psychotrauma services to the farmers who rallied in Kidapawan, North Cotobato earlier this month.
Renz Christian Argao, supervising psychologist of the UST Psychotrauma Clinic, said they were still awaiting the confirmation of the diocese, clarifying a recent report by a news website.
“Siguro we want to clarify that report muna, kasi right now, we are still waiting for the confirmation. Plans pa lang and we’re still coordinating,” Argao said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
Argao added that psychosocial intervention was necessary to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can manifest 30 days after a violent incident.
However, biological needs of the farmers like food should first be addressed.
“Consider that these farmers are hungry. If gutom sila, we cannot go on to provide services for them. If we do psychological intervention without fulfilling their biological needs, there won’t be any process. There will be more harm and good,” Argao added.
Established in 2002 by professors Johnny Decatoria and Lilian Sison, the UST Psychotrauma Clinic is the community service arm of the UST Graduate School. It is the first and only clinic that specializes in psychological trauma, rendering counselling and psychotherapy services, training programs and research.
An estimated 5,000 farmers were violently dispersed last April 1 during their protest to demand government aid amid a drought caused by El Niño. The farmers demanded the release of 15,000 sacks of rice to their communities in addition to food assistance, calamity funds and agricultural support, blocking the Cotabato-Davao Highway in Kidapawan.
The clash resulted in the deaths of three farmers. One-hundred sixteen people were wounded and 89 farmers were reported missing.
The Commission on Human Rights is conducting a fact-finding investigation into the incident. Roy Abrahmn D.R. Narra
