SOCIAL workers from the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Field Office (FO) Calabarzon have started giving psychological support and financial assistance to the grieving families of those who died because of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in the region.

The FO-4A has identified 24 people who died and 23 who went missing at the height of Kristine's onslaught in the region.

"We are aware of the mental stress caused by the onslaught of Kristine, especially to families and individuals who lost their loved ones," DSWD-Calabarzon Regional Director Barry Chua said.

"Our social workers are ready to provide them with counseling and psychosocial sessions to help them cope with their traumatic experiences, and we also condole with the families and offer our prayers to them," he added.

So far, social workers from the DSWD's Calabarzon regional office have offered counseling and psychosocial support to the relatives of seven deceased in Talisay, Batangas.

In addition to psychological counseling, the FO-4A provided families with a total of P200,000 in financial assistance.

Nineteen people died in Batangas province, three in Laguna, and one each in Cavite, Rizal and Quezon.

Some of the victims drowned, while others were struck by falling trees or debris or were electrocuted.

The agency's field office continues to cooperate with the families and the relevant local government units to provide additional suitable assistance that they may require as they go through these tough moments in their lives.

In a related development, the DSWD Field Office 5 sent its profound condolences to the families of four who died in a landslide in Caramoran, Catanduanes province.

On October 23, four siblings and cousins died when a landslide triggered by rains spawned by Kristine went cascading and buried their home.

In response, on October 25, the DSWD FO-5, through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program, swiftly reached out to the grieving families, giving P10,000 in cash aid as well as psychosocial support to help them.

The purpose of this financial assistance is to provide essential help for the families' basic needs.

Furthermore, the DSWD Bicol regional office is arranging funeral assistance that fulfills the burial needs.