December 2018: Monitoring Humanitarian Response to Typhoon Ompong in the Philippines
 
In December 2018, I embarked on what I believed would be one of my final visit to the Philippines, a country that had become very dear to me during my deployment in Southeast Asia. The purpose of the trip was to monitor the progress of humanitarian projects supporting communities affected by Typhoon Ompong (internationally known as Mangkhut).
 
Typhoon Ompong, which struck the northern Philippines in September 2018, was one of the most powerful storms to hit the country that year. With wind speeds reaching 205 km/h (127 mph) and torrential rains, the typhoon caused severe devastation, particularly in the mountainous regions of Luzon, including Baguio and Benguet provinces. The storm triggered deadly landslides, flooding, and widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure, and agricultural lands, affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
 
During my visit, I spent most of my time in villages and communities around Baguio, where recovery efforts were underway. The humanitarian response, led by the Philippine government, international NGOs, the Red Cross, and local organisations, focused on critical areas such as:
• Shelter rehabilitation: Rebuilding homes that were damaged or completely destroyed by the typhoon, with efforts to introduce disaster-resilient construction techniques to prevent future damage.
• Livelihood restoration: Given that the region relies heavily on agriculture, many farmers who lost their crops were supported through cash-for-work programmes and the provision of seeds and farming tools to help them restart their livelihoods.
• Health and nutrition support: Medical teams were deployed to address the health needs of affected families, with a focus on preventing disease outbreaks in evacuation centres and temporary shelters.
• Protection and psychosocial support: Special attention was given to vulnerable groups, particularly children and women, to provide counselling services and safe spaces to help them cope with the trauma of displacement and loss.
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Efforts to repair damaged water supply systems and provide safe drinking water and hygiene kits to families were prioritised to prevent waterborne diseases.
 
Despite the challenges posed by the rugged terrain and the scale of destruction, I was heartened to see the resilience of the local communities. People were determined to rebuild their lives and support one another in the face of adversity.
 
As this visit marked what I thought would be one of my last engagements in the Philippines, I took the opportunity to reflect on my time in the country by allowing myself a day of sightseeing in Manila’s historic districts, before returning to Bangkok. Wandering through the old part of Manila, particularly Intramuros, felt like paying tribute to a place that had left a lasting impression on me. Intramuros, with its colonial charm, old churches, and cobblestone streets, provided the perfect setting to reflect on my experiences and say a quiet farewell to the Philippines.
 
The trip was bittersweet—a mix of professional fulfilment in seeing the positive impact of humanitarian efforts and personal nostalgia for a country and people I had grown to admire and appreciate deeply.
 
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