I've been a first responder in many disasters over my nine years as part of this organisation, but even as a Filipina, typhoon Haiyan is the worst I've known. I was there for our initial assessment of the need and our response, and now I'm back in Manila where I'm usually based – though I grew up in the province of Camarines Sur, in the Bicol region of Luzon Island – waiting to hear when I'll be deployed back to Tacloban.