The UST Graduate School Office for Community Development in coordination with the Psychotrauma Clinic and the Guidance and Counseling cluster rolled out mental health awareness programs to various stakeholders from partner communities and government agencies respectively.
In collaboration with the UST Psychotrauma Clinic, a series of mental health seminars with the organic personnel of the National Capital Region – Regional Community Defense Group (NCRRCDG), including those belonging to other nearby units (for Phase 1) and those troops belonging to reserve force assigned to the different Community Defense Centers (for Phase 2).
This activity was conceptualized upon the initiative of Col. Ferdinand Rey Ga, Group Commander, to organize activities to maintain the mental well-being of the AFP troops.
From the UST Psychotrauma Clinic, Mr. Michael Edward Buenaflor, RN, MA, RPsy and Mr. Romelito Manuel D.S. Clorina, MA, RPm, RPsy, both UST academic staff, spoke about the importance of mental well-being in the performance of the soldiers’ duties and the necessity of being able to assess the psychological situation of their companions.
The seminars were conducted at the Headquarters of the NCRRCDG at Camp Bonifacio, Taguig City in May 2023 while Phase 3 is being planned for the organic personnel of the Office for Reservist and Retiree Affairs (OG9) of the Philippine Army.
Another round of mental health seminars were conducted through the initiative of the students from the M.A. in Guidance and Counseling program, in collaboration with Barangay Sibulan in Nagcarlan, Laguna. The seminar titled “Mind that Matters: Mental Health Awareness Seminar” was held on May 27, 2023 to selected youth beneficiaries within the barangay and nearby vicinities. This activity is part of the service-learning component of the aforementioned graduate school program conducted through the guidance of Prof. Lucila O. Bance, Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology and Ms. Tita Sochaco from Brgy. Sibulan. The seminar addressed the common stressors encountered by the youth.
