UST Graduate School responds and assists survivors and families of victims of the Sulpicio Lines’ M/V Princess of the Stars Tragedy

The UST Graduate School Psychotrauma Clinic provided De Briefing/ CISD (Critical Incident Stress Debriefing) at Pier 12 Manila last July 25-29, 2008 to the family members of the victims of the Sulpicio Lines sea tragedy.  This effort was initiated by the Head of the UST Graduate School Psychotrauma Clinic, Dr. Johnny Decatoria , in coordination with DSWD represented by Mr. Joel Pangilinan, head of the Crisis Management, DSD-NCR.  The UST Graduate School pool of counselors were the only group from the academe that was accredited by the DSWD to conduct debriefing to the family members of the victims.

There were a total of 66 individuals who benefited from the debriefing of the volunteers and staff during the entire period of the debriefing process.  Some staff noted a client who lost 18 members of his family from the sulpicio tragedy and typhoon frank.

For 5 days, a team of 5 to 10 members from the Pscyhotrauma Clinic were deployed to the site daily, to provide debriefing and psychosocial interventions.  The team leaders were Fr. Edgardo de Jesus, Fr. Augustin Balanquit, Ms. Hazel Navarro and Ms. Suzette Agcaoili.  Fr. Balanquit gave his input on “Effective Crisis Management” during an interagency stakeholders meeting at Sulpicio Lines, Pier 12 to address the Sulpicio Lines crisis.

 On the other hand, “Debriefing the Debriefers” sessions were conducted by Dr. Johnny Decatoria for all the team members who came back from their debriefings at Sulpicio Lines.  This is to ensure that do not develop vicarious trauma or compassion fatigue syndrome from hearing the narratives of individuals during the debriefing sessions.