VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur – Students from the Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling (MAGC) of the College of Arts and Sciences in collaboration with Student Welfare Services Office (SWSO) led the conduct of Structured Learning Experience titled “JUANA Calm Down: Winning the Battle Against Stress” on May 9, 2025, at Barangay 7, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur.
The participants of the said event are the dedicated members of Juanas United Ilocana Women Association Inc., a non-government organization in Vigan City that fosters women empowerment through various engagements including feeding and livelihood programs, mental health talks, and distribution of hygiene kits. This initiative aimed to discuss the importance of finding personal stressors and to explore effective stress management strategies. This is in the hopes of helping the participants alleviate the negative effects of stress in their daily lives.
The program featured a 4As approach which is a widely used framework in education and training. Following this format, the SLE kickstarted with the Stress Bucket activity wherein the participants were tasked to list the causes of their stress and so their coping mechanisms. This was then followed by an insightful sharing of what the participants had written and what they had learned about themselves during the process. Before continuing with the next two phases, Dr. Marifel Acena, Head of MAGC Program and SWSO, warmly welcomed the participants and reiterated the importance of mental health among women. After this, the abstraction phase was led by Mr. Josef Dominik Bello, Health Education Promotion Officer II of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur. He emphasized the multiple factors that contribute to stress, various strategies for managing it, and the significance of keeping self-care while fulfilling work responsibilities. The application phase consists of an entertaining game of bingo cards which served as a reflection of the overall learning from the discussion.
The program concluded with a heartfelt closing remarks to which the MAGC students, on behalf of Ms. Anne Kleire Mae Rafanan, expressed their gratitude to all the attendees for their active participation and commitment to mental health advocacy.
The SLE program’s inclusive approach successfully created a nurturing space for the participants to explore self-care strategies while balancing personal, professional, and community roles.
Article by Anne Kaexelle Fandag and Anne Kleire Rafanan.
