30 August 2020, Dubai, U.A.E. – The Consulate General of the Philippines in Dubai and Northern Emirates organized a webinar on Stress Coping and Well-Being During on 27 August 2020. The webinar part of the Consulate General's Parola Series and is in line with our initiative to assist overseas Filipinos in Dubai and Northern Emirates by building their capacity to manage stress, especially now that we are in the middle of one of the most challenging times in human history.

In his opening remarks, Consul General Paul Raymund P. Cortes noted how the pandemic affected all the people economically, physically and psychologically. The pandemic brought about fear, loneliness, and anxiety among Filipinos in the UAE resulting from loss of job and income, uncertainty of the future, and sometimes due to loss of loved ones due to the virus. It is in times like these when it is important to focus on our well-being—mind, body, and soul—and find balance to better cope with the challenges brought by the pandemic. 

Mrs. Betty Duhaylongsod, a United Nations certified external stress counselor, Psychologist, Psychometrician, and HR Consultant who is currently based in the Philippines, provided some 40 participants from the Philippine Schools and Filipino Community members in Dubai and the Northern Emirates some practical tips on how to recognize stress and combat the ill effects of stress on our mind and body.

Mrs. Duhaylongsod emphasized the need for us to close the gap between or physical and psychological health.  Aside from eating healthy and doing daily exercises, we also have to look after our mental health.  Unlike a pack of cigarettes, loneliness, anxiety, and stress do not carry a warning sign that it is bad for our health and well-being.  Thus, we have to examine ourselves and recognize if we are experiencing those emotions.

She further clarified that promoting mental health does not mean eliminating all your negative thoughts and emotions.  On the contrary, it encourages you to recognize the issues in order for you to find ways to better handle and manage them.  

The webinar was organized under the Consulate’s Parola Series, the avenue by which the Consulate share to Filipinos and Dubai and the Northern Emirates a valuable information that will allow them to make informed decisions.END