THE DEPARTMENT of Education’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service held a virtual meeting with non-government organizations and other partners to find areas of collaboration to strengthen mental health initiatives.

The meeting aimed to enhance the Mental Health and Psychological Support Services initiatives for learners, parents, and DepEd personnel.

Partner representatives provided an overview of their initiatives and areas where they can provide support, including the dissemination of MHPSS materials, setting-up of child-friendly spaces, provision of other platforms for airing broadcast materials, content development, and sharing of resources.

The Education department also laid out its plans for the remainder of the year, including broadcasting MHPSS every weekend for elementary and secondary learners, parents, and DepEd personnel; resuming Online MHPSS activities; and conducting a concert.

It also presented its typhoon initiatives to provide partners an overview of the areas where they can support the department’s response efforts.

“We have started to process funds for immediate clean-up and minor repair for affected schools, to be followed with the distribution of hygiene and teachers’ and learners’ kits. Our engineers and DRRM coordinators have begun conducting the detailed assessment of infrastructure and non-infrastructure damages to determine the funding requirement for the comprehensive rehabilitation and recovery of affected schools, learners, and personnel,” DRRMS Director Ronilda Co said.

Representatives from Education Forum members and organizations such as ACCORD, Plan International, Cartwheel Foundation, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc., Save the Children Philippines, UNICEF Philippines, Unang Hakbang Foundation, Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association Inc., Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Psychological Association of the Philippines, UNILAB Foundation Inc., and the World Vision Development Foundation attended the meeting.

Since May 2020, the DRRMS has been collaborating with partner organizations to implement Covid19  initiatives.

Online Psychosocial Support sessions were made available to elementary and secondary learners, DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel in collaboration with PAP, UFI, CCP, and Brahma Kumaris Philippines.