Yes, 2024 was hectic. I’m sure I feel that way at the end of every year, but I am mostly certain that I traveled more in 2024 than pretty much any other year of my life. I’d have to look very very far into my travel history to be truly sure, and I don’t have the patience for that now!
In April I was in Iloilo with our field human resources team from Hong Kong, to recruit applicants at an anesthesiology conference. In July I was in Nairobi, Kenya, for a week of training, and the joy of an African safari.
My November was not supposed to be so packed. A colleague had asked for my help to man (woman?) a booth at a toxicology conference in Iloilo, and that was just a few days. But many things happened, and November ended up being exhausting and jam-packed.
And it started with #KristinePH.
Our teams went to the Bicol region a day or two after the storm hit, to assess the damage, to see how many people were affected, and to determine what we could do.
The other problem with disasters and other emergencies is access. Just getting to the location can be a challenge, because of things like landslides, floods, collapsed bridges or blocked roads, or damaged airports. Though there are multiple airports in Bicol, the question is which one is operational in the days and weeks after the storm.
As the comms officer, I don’t usually go with the teams during assessment. Typically the team determines how we’re going to respond, figures out the supplies and transportation, as well as human resources and other logistics, and estimates how long we’re going to stay. When there’s a more definite plan, that’s usually when I come in.
The typhoon happened just before a long weekend, and we had family plans, so I couldn’t leave right away to join the team. I also told them that I couldn’t stay beyond November 6, because I would be on leave and that was non-negotiable.
Above: Behold my travel uniform: Uniqlo bra top, comfortable pants (usually joggers), and a scarf
I left on November 2. It was an early morning flight, so it was still dark when I left the house. I was in the Grab to the airport when I remembered to check in to my flight, and I found out at there was a mistake in the booking of my ticket, so my name was wrong! Luckily it was a domestic flight, so they weren’t too strict.
As with most domestic flights in the Philippines, it was a short flight. A car picked me up from the airport, and then there was a two-hour drive to Naga. I was asleep through at least half of it, but I’m glad I saw Mayon volcano before I passed out.
I managed a drive-thru breakfast before we got to the hotel. Unsurprisingly, the McDonald’s had limited menu items available, so instead of my usual Egg McMuffin I got rice meals for me and the driver. And coffee, of course!
As with my first emergency response, the work starts as soon as you get there. The land trip was quick, because I had arrived very early and there was no traffic yet. I arrived at the hotel just as the team was finishing breakfast, so right away I was able to join them.
What does a comms officer do in an emergency response? I always joke that my job description is “marites,” which makes people laugh and (I hope) puts them at ease. But really, what I do is document the disaster and our response. I talk to the community, to find out what happened and how they were affected, and I talk to our team so they can explain what we’re doing.
The first thing activity I joined was a mental health (MH) session, where our MH lead, Jane, and two volunteers spoke to community leaders and helped them process their trauma.
Over the next two days, I got to see how the rains and the floods devastated Camarines Sur, how the towns surrounding Naga were submerged, and how brown the houses were after so much mud and rain. I spoke to elderly men and women, mothers and fathers, children, who told me of their fears and worries, who showed me their injuries and their damaged homes, who wondered, ‘how do we move on from this?’
As Doctors Without Borders, we do what we can, but we can only do so much. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t stitch up wounds or process anyone’s trauma. All I can do is tell the stories of what we see and what we do, and hope it moves others to action.
It was an exhausting few days, but I was grateful for a kind and thoughtful team that made sure I was safe and comfortable. I was grateful for accommodations with good breakfast and coffee, and a comfortable bed. I was grateful for the opportunity to witness these things, and the privilege of telling these stories. (read it here)
Unfortunately, it was after this response, when I was on the way home, that I suffered the worst panic attack of 2024. I’m happy to say I didn’t suffer any other panic attacks the rest of the month, but this is your reminder to take care of yourself and manage your workload, so you don’t reach your breaking point.
Next: Pediatrics in Cebu!
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