Survivors of Tacloban shooting cope with fear, anger, guilt

A few days after the fatal Tacloban school shooting, survivors at San Jose National High School continue to undergo psychological assistance.

In a “24 Oras” report by Raffy Tima on Friday, affected individuals were said to be experiencing psychological effects such as fear, anger, and guilt.

“Takot, pangamba, [at] ’yung pag-aalala kung safe pa ba sila, kung ano pa ba ang magiging future nila… Galit sila bakit nangyari ito, galit sila,” Registered Guidance Counselor and Team Leader Julienne Rose Saballa said.

(There is fear, anxiety, and a deep worry about whether they are still safe and what their future will hold... They are angry—they are angry about why this happened.)

“Meron yung iba, guilty, bakit sila nabuhay, yung iba lalo na yung mga best friends yung mga close friends nung mga namatay talagang nandun yung guilt feeling sa kanila,” she added.

(Some are experiencing guilt, asking themselves why they survived. This guilt feeling is especially strong among those who were best friends or close friends with the victims who died.)

The counselor said the healing process among the affected students, teachers, and school personnel would take time.

As part of the process, teachers experiencing trauma will undergo an orientation to help them observe their students once they return to school.

“Io-orient sila about the red flags, mga signs and symptoms para meron man silang makita kasi hindi yan agad agad makikita lahat it will take weeks, maybe even months pa para mag manifest,” Saballa said.

(They will be oriented about the red flags, the signs and symptoms to look out for, because these don't all show up immediately. It will take weeks, or maybe even months, for them to manifest.)

At present, there is a severe shortage of guidance counselors. From the ideal ratio of one counselor for every 500 learners, the current figure allegedly reaches one counselor for every 5,000 to 7,000 students.

For Saballa, if only all schools were staffed with registered guidance counselors, extreme incidents like school shootings could be prevented.

“Sabihin nating may batang hindi kumikilos nang tama pero pag kinausap mo, mapakinggan mo ang kaniyang kwento, then may pag-asa na matutuwid siya,” Saballa said.

(Let’s say there is a child who isn't acting the right way—if you talk to them and truly listen to their story, then there is hope that they can be guided back onto the right path.)

When asked how many similar instances could be prevented by the presence of a registered counselor, she answered: “Napakarami, napakarami po, hindi ko ma-underscore.”

(A lot, so many—I cannot underscore it enough.)

Meanwhile, ahead of the school's reopening, a contractor commissioned by the Tacloban local government will raise the perimeter fences and add barbed wire to fortify the security at the San Jose National High School.

Investigators continue to build a stronger case against the 15-year-old shooter, alias Rod, and other individuals who will be held accountable for the incident.

Investigators returned on Friday to the school to review CCTV footage and to analyze further details of Monday's shooting.

GMA News was permitted to film the screen monitor of the CCTV system; however, for now, only investigators are granted access to the actual footage.

The school's security system features eight camera angles, covering the entrance, a portion of the main building's facade, and the rear area where the 15-year-old shooter was apprehended.

The footage reportedly captured the entry of the two minor suspects, though the actual shooting was not caught on camera.

GMA news team went to the residence of Rod, but no one was around. According to a house caretaker, the family had left the premises.—Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News