ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Days after a deadly shooting shattered the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) community, hundreds of students, teachers and staff are now turning to psychological support as the campus begins the difficult journey from shock to recovery.
At least 519 members of the AdZU community have received psychological first aid following the August 18 shooting, according to the latest update cited by The Philippine Star. University President Fr. Guillrey Anthony “Ernald” Andal, SJ said the support services remain open to anyone in the community who continues to need help.
For many, the trauma has not disappeared simply because the immediate danger has passed.
Andal said he recently encountered students making their way to psychological first-aid sessions, where classmates have begun reconnecting and supporting one another. While signs of normalcy are slowly returning, he acknowledged that the emotional wounds remain deep after students and teachers were forced to hide and evacuate during the violence.
From Shock to Support
The August 18 attack at AdZU’s junior high school campus left two students dead, including the alleged shooter, and others injured, according to police and multiple news reports. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack and how the firearms were brought onto campus.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves far beyond Zamboanga City and reignited a national conversation about school safety, youth welfare, access to firearms and the role of families and communities in preventing violence.
Earlier reports showed that AdZU’s response began almost immediately. ABS-CBN News reported that more than 180 students, parents and faculty members had already received psychosocial support in the days following the shooting. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also deployed mental health professionals to provide psychological first aid to affected learners, part of a wider effort to address trauma in the aftermath of the incident.
The growing number of people seeking help underscores a crucial reality: the impact of a violent incident does not end when the police investigation begins.
Healing Is Not a One-Day Process
Psychological first aid is designed to provide immediate, compassionate support after a traumatic event, helping people feel safe, heard and connected to further assistance when needed.
For students who witnessed the chaos, fled classrooms or feared for their classmates and teachers, recovery may take time. Parents and school personnel can also experience trauma, even when they were not physically injured.
Government officials and education leaders have stressed that preventing future violence requires more than gates, cameras and security checks. It also demands stronger connections among schools, families and communities, as well as accessible mental health support and early intervention for young people who may be struggling.
That broader approach is now at the center of the conversation following the AdZU tragedy.
A Community Trying to Move Forward
As investigations continue, AdZU is facing the challenge shared by every community recovering from trauma: how to return to everyday life without pretending that nothing happened.
The university’s decision to keep psychological support available sends an important message to students and staff—that seeking help is not a sign of weakness and that healing does not follow a timetable.
Some smiles may be starting to return to the campus, but for many members of the AdZU community, the road ahead remains long.
And perhaps that is the most important lesson emerging from the tragedy: after the sirens fade and the headlines move on, the work of healing is only beginning.
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