Typhoon Response in the Philippines

CPSP-Philippines has been busy both in training workers and providing crisis care to primary victims of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). Two groups, one from Baguio and one from Manila, came together to work with refugees in Manila as well as those still in Tacloban.

Joyce and Noel are still in Tacloban.  They have done much work there together with the Bless Yolanda survivors group.  Today, she was asked to speak at the meeting with the UN, Commander of the whole operations at the airport, DSWD, Office of Civil Defense and other countries’ leaders manning the airport.  The person who hosted them there is Commodore Roy Trinidad, a naval officer that I worked with during the Sendong relief operation at Iligan City.

As per training and collaboration work, Toogsie conducted three crisis care trainings – Irosin, Sorsogon, GCF-East and CCF-St. Francis Square. The CCF training was attended by various stakeholders from the government and private organizations (PNP, DOH, Clinical Psychologists, Ministers, Lay Volunteers, etc.).  Tootsie and Joyce co-taught at GCF and CCF.  For the last two Saturdays, Tootsie’s group went to United Evangelical Church of the Philippines, a Chinese Church in Binondo, to debrief the survivors who were mostly Chinese businessmen and to facilitate the crisis care training conducted by Ms. Cristina Co, a professor at AGS and pastor at said church.

Disaster Response in the Philippines

As most of the world knows, there has been some major disasters in the Philippines in the last few months. Most recently, we have had Typhoon Yolanda (aka Haiyan) that has cut a swath through the Visayas and Southern Luzon. While news has centered on Tacloban, Leyte, many other pars of the Philippines have suffered greatly but with less news fanfare.

A month before this, the island of Bohol was struck by a powerful earthquake with considerable damage and loss of life.

Before that, a major kidnapping and a series of attacks on villages around Zamboanga, have left many homeless.

CPSP-PI has embraced the need for disaster response, particularly in the area of crisis care chaplaincy.

In Baguio, the training centers of Bukal Life Care and PBTS are working together to do training for crisis care chaplaincy and form teams to go to Leyte. Two teams have been established, with plans to assist another.

Tootsie and others in Manila are developing partnerships to do training and trip work in additional locations.

More information will be given as plans solidify. We are thankful of the commitment of members of CPSP-PI to be involved in this work, as well as commitment of members of CPSP to assist the effort.

August 2013 Updates

Some Updates:
-Aug 17. Start of Batch 2013-4 Half unit led by Celia
-Aug 19. Final Unit Evals for CPE 2013-3 led by Joyce
-Aug 19. North Central Luzon ( NCL) CPSP Chapter Meeting.
-Aug 27. Benguet CPSP Chapter Meeting
-Aug 29. CPSP BOT and Conveners Meeting.
-Sep 5. Baguio CPSP Chapter Meeting

All of these activities are in Baguio City. Activities in Manila and and Iloilo will be added later.

August 2013 Updates

1.  CPSP Chapter Meetings.. Baguio Chapter scheduled for August 2. Benguet Chapter scheduled (tentatively) for August 26.

2.  CPE. One CPE group is ongoing in Baguio, and one in Manila (PCMC). Another Baguio group is scheduled to start August 17.

3.  Working on plans for major CPSP activities in Iloilo and Manila in September or October. Will update as things get worked out.

CPSP-certified Clinical Pastoral Education in Baguio City… upcoming

Mid-June. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) batch led by Joyce Gray. This will probably be a mixed group… some doing Intensive and some Extended (this depends somewhat on the negotiation between the trainees and training supervisor).

Mid-July. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) batch led by Celia Munson. This will be an Extended, 18-week class. This will be a bit of an experiment for us, with all group work done on Saturdays. This is especially for those who work 5-days a week.CPE Baguio Batch Sept 2012

In all cases, full units are still 400 hours (300 hours ministry, 100 hours of group work and formal training). Training and ministry is done in Baguio City (Philippines) with various local hospitals and jails.

Contact us at info@bukallife.org if you are interested and wish to be given an application. You can also download an application at http://www.bukallife.org (under Forms).

Training is done certified by the College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy.

It is advisable to apply early. Each batch is limited in size.

Some upcoming items

Thursday, May 23. 9am. “Stress Management” lecture with the Department of Agriculture. Led by Doc Sim.

Friday, May 31. Baguio CPE Summer Intensive Graduation.. West Baguio Baptist Church, 9am.

Mid-June (circa June 14). Start of the next batch for CPE-Extended. Led by Joyce Gray. Baguio City.

Mid-August. Estimated date for CPE-Extended group Led by Celia Munson, Baguio City.

Late-September. Estimated date for CPSP – Southeast Asia Conference. in Quezon City.

There is more including CPE in Manila. Will pass on info as it is made available.