Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) became the deadliest pandemic of the 20th century. (World Health Organization, 2020). In the Philippines alone, the death toll reached 65, 476 (JHU CSSE COVID-19 Data, 2023).
"Pahimakas" is a deep Filipino word meaning, last farewell. Unlike having a "pahimakas", many people were not able to say their goodbyes to their lost loved ones.
In the initial study, the author utilized the indigenous process of "pakikipagkwentuhan" to know the stories of those who lost someone to COVID-19 and identify the clinical interventions they underwent to make sense of their situation. Ultimately, the author sought to find local initiatives in making psychological interventions available with the goal of alleviating their suffering.
The follow-up study took place a year after the initial study. It was focused on the continuation of the participants’ "kwento" (life stories), with the goal of finding out the participants’ take on the effectiveness of the psychological interventions and local initiatives in helping the bereaved families. Using McAdams semi-structured interview protocol, the author was able to find out that: (1) 65% of the participants were diagnosed with Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder; (2) participants were looking at the world from a distant view, describing a self that is unmoved and (3) most participants gave up hope on local initiatives that did not happen.
Recommendations from the participants and different government units were acquired to enforce the materialization of local interventions.

Authors:
Jacqueline Lising, Mondriaan Aura College, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Jacqueline Lising is a School Teacher/Instructor at Mondriaan Aura College in Philippines

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