As the world continues to reel from a year marked by unprecedented weather extremes, the Philippines and Vietnam are once again bracing for the impacts of severe tropical systems—just as relief efforts from the last onslaught are still underway. According to Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, a new tropical depression was observed on December 4, 2025, swirling east of the central Philippines. Forecasts indicate the system will cross the central Philippines before entering the East Vietnam Sea over the weekend of December 6-7, potentially bringing moderate to heavy rainfall to provinces from Thua Thien-Hue to Khanh Hoa.
Deputy director of the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, Hoang Duc Cuong, warned that the incoming storm could raise the risk of flash floods and landslides in these regions. "Another tropical depression could develop in the East Vietnam Sea after this system," Cuong added, raising concerns about a prolonged period of hazardous weather for both nations. December, he noted, may see one or two more episodes of widespread rain in central and south-central Vietnam, with rainfall from southern Quang Tri to the northern part of the south-central region likely exceeding the long-term average.
These warnings come on the heels of a year that has already shattered records and tested disaster response systems across the globe. In 2025, the world saw extraordinary tropical cyclone activity, with the Atlantic witnessing ten major storms reaching Category 3 or higher—surpassing previous records. In the northwest Pacific, super typhoon Fung Wong stunned meteorologists by intensifying from Category 1 to Category 5 in just 24 hours this past September. The consequences were devastating: extreme floods and landslides claimed hundreds to thousands of lives in Indonesia, Pakistan, and the United States, according to Vietnamese authorities.
Vietnam itself has not been spared. The Bach Ma station in Hue recorded a staggering 1,739 millimeters of rainfall in just 24 hours in October—one of the highest 24-hour totals ever recorded anywhere in the world. So far in 2025, the East Vietnam Sea has been battered by 21 tropical storms and depressions, including 15 named storms and six depressions—the highest number since record-keeping began in 1961.
Looking ahead, Cuong cautioned that cold air outbreaks are expected to intensify in December, potentially causing severe cold in northern mountainous areas. These cold spells are projected to continue into January and February 2026. Meanwhile, heatwaves are forecast to return to southern and northwestern areas from March and April next year. It’s a dizzying cycle of extremes, with little respite in sight.
While Vietnam braces for the next round of storms, the Philippines is still recovering from the destruction wrought by Typhoon Kalmaegi and super typhoon Fung-Wong. In the aftermath, international cooperation has played a pivotal role in relief efforts, especially between the United States and the Philippines. On November 14, 2025, U.S. Marines and Sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) organized a life-saving blood drive at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, during the height of ongoing foreign disaster relief operations.
“The need for blood is always critical after a natural disaster,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Hannah Skillman, the 15th MEU surgeon, in a statement provided by DVIDS. “Working with our Philippine partners was very rewarding. Their efforts are what enabled us to collect so many blood donations quickly that day and have it sent to where it’s most needed.”
The blood drive, organized in rapid response to the crisis, was supported by seven U.S. Navy medical personnel alongside 23 professionals from the Philippines Department of Pathology and Laboratories and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center. In total, 26 pints of blood were collected from Marines and Sailors of the 15th MEU and 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) working at their operations center. The donated blood was screened and shipped by the Armed Forces of the Philippines directly to areas most in need—a lifeline for communities where medical resources were stretched thin.
But the collaboration didn’t stop there. Recognizing an opportunity to enhance bilateral training and future disaster response, the 15th MEU’s Navy medical team hosted a Valkyrie training demonstration immediately after the blood drive. “We saw this blood drive as an opportunity not only to help our Filipino brothers and sisters in need but also to provide an invaluable training event that will enhance our shared medical capabilities in the future,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Lazarus Gonzalez, the 15th MEU’s medical planner.
The Valkyrie training involved the safe collection, screening, and immediate transfusion of fresh whole blood—a technique vital for saving lives in environments where traditional blood supplies may be unavailable. To demonstrate the process, the commanding officer of the 15th MEU, Col. Robb T. McDonald, and Sgt. Maj. Trevor Goff, the unit’s senior enlisted advisor, volunteered as donors. Each had a pint of blood collected and then transfused back into their bodies, illustrating the effectiveness and safety of the protocol for the 23 Philippine medical trainees present.
“Valkyrie empowers units to save lives, even when traditional medical infrastructure is compromised or not immediately available,” Skillman explained. “Seeing the AFP medical personnel embrace this training was incredibly rewarding.” The skills gained will enable Philippine participants to develop their own “walking blood bank” programs, providing critical care to those in need—no matter how dire the circumstances.
From November 13 to 15, U.S. military units transported 10,000 family food packs from Clark Air Base on Luzon Island to Virac Airport in the hard-hit Catanduanes region, using U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force aircraft. This rapid response, coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and at the request of the Philippine government, underscored the strength of the U.S.-Philippines alliance. The swift organization of both the blood drive and the Valkyrie training was hailed as a testament to the two nations’ commitment to providing immediate relief as partners, friends, and allies.
The 15th MEU has announced plans to coordinate additional blood drives and training opportunities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the future as part of their ongoing deployment as Marine Rotational-Force Southeast Asia. This continued cooperation aims to further bolster medical readiness and disaster response capabilities in a region all too familiar with the wrath of nature.
As December unfolds, both Vietnam and the Philippines find themselves at the intersection of meteorological extremes and humanitarian resilience. With forecasts predicting more storms and the memory of recent devastation still fresh, communities across Southeast Asia are relying on a combination of preparedness, international cooperation, and the indomitable spirit of their people to weather whatever comes next.