In the heart of Quezon City, a suburb of Manila, as Typhoon Fung‑Wong roared across the north‑eastern coast of the Philippines, one image stood out: a woman gently feeding her husband within the confines of a makeshift evacuation tent. The full storm raged outside—but within those translucent plastic walls, the rhythm of care gave shape to hope.

A Snapshot of Humanity in Crisis

The photo shows 63‑year‑old Judy Bertuso bending to her husband, 65‑year‑old Apollo, who is confined to a wheelchair as he recovers from a stroke. They evacuated from their creek‑side home a day earlier, fearing a repeat of flooding they had endured just a month before.

Inside the hum of dozens of tents in a converted basketball court, Judy’s deliberate and tender movements contrasted sharply with the chaos the storm threatened outside. It’s a moment that underscores how, even when nature unleashes its fiercest fury, human ties keep their quiet strength.

The Storm Bearing Down

Typhoon Fung‑Wong, known locally as “Uwan”, was the most powerful storm to threaten the Philippines this year. Authorities recorded sustained winds up to 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts as high as 230 km/h (143 mph) as it approached landfall.

More than 900,000 people evacuated ahead of the storm’s arrival, and schools, government offices, flights and seaports were shut down as the archipelago braced for major damage.

The Bigger Picture: Care Amid Chaos

In that evacuation centre, the world was reduced to essentials: shelter, community, care. While the outside winds buffeted the structure and uncertainty loomed large, inside that orange tent—three metres of plastic and hope—Judy held the spoon, Apollo accepted. That simple interchange carried a message: The storm may rage, but human dignity persists.
Their story is one among many, yet its quiet clarity offers a profound counterpoint to images of destruction. It reminds us that even in disaster, stories of human resilience matter just as much as the scale of the storm.

What Comes Next

For the Bertusos, the next hours and days will likely include uncertainty: when they can return home, how intact their dwelling is, and how they’ll cope with recovery. For the Philippines, the task is enormous: assessing damage, restoring infrastructure, and supporting vulnerable families.
But photos like this one help shift the narrative beyond statistics and headlines. They bring into focus the lived experience, the individual acts of care, the human face of catastrophe.

Why This Matters

Emotional resonance: Visuals of human connection, like this feeding scene, deepen public empathy and awareness.

Disaster‑readiness reminder: Even in modern times, storms of this magnitude demand timely evacuation and community support.