In the storm seasons of 2024, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) found itself on the frontlines of disaster relief: not with letters and parcels, but with food, shelter, and hope.
In late July, Super Typhoon Carina swept through the country, drenching Metro Manila and submerging large parts of Marikina, a riverside city on the eastern edge of Manila, in floodwaters. The storm displaced thousands and triggering an urgent need for food and shelter in the city’s most vulnerable communities.In Marikina villages of Parang, Tumana, and Nangka—low-lying areas particularly vulnerable to flooding—families queued in the aftermath, waiting for help. The food they received came not only through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Project Hope Relief Operations, but also thanks to an unlikely responder: PHLPost.
Under then Postmaster General Mike Planas, PHLPost delivered over 3,000 food packs. A 10-wheeler truck rolled into Parang village carrying 1,300 relief packs, while two six-wheelers brought 1,750 more to affected areas. The sight of mail trucks, usually symbols of daily routine, suddenly became emblems of solidarity.
“The Post Office, in collaboration with local government units and stakeholders, actively participated in distribution of relief goods,” Planas said. Beyond transport, PHLPost opened its facilities, including post offices in Cavite and Bulacan, on the outskirts of Metro Manila as shelters and logistical hubs. In that moment, the post became not just a service, but a sanctuary.
Just three months later, the winds shifted south.
In October, Typhoon Kristine entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), a region monitored by the national weather bureau. The storm made landfall in Isabela, a northern province on the island of Luzon, bringing heavy rains and landslides as it moved southward. The Bicol Region bore the brunt of the typhoon, with widespread flooding and displacement.
By this time, Luis D. Carlos, re-elected as Postmaster General and CEO, led PHLPost’s response efforts. Three trucks carrying nearly 60 tons of essential relief goods were deployed. Two were loaded with 720 shelter tarpaulins, while the third carried 3,500 hygiene kits. The supplies were moved from Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City to Villamor Airbase in Pasay for airlift to Region V (Bicol Region), one of hardest-hit areas.
“It wasn’t an easy journey,” recalled Rianne Aybil Peñaredondo, Acting Chief of PHLPost’s Corporate Communications Division. “Roads were blocked, floodwaters slowed everything down, and there was constant sense of urgency. But our drivers pressed on because the mission was too important to delay,” she said.
“Our mission at PHLPost extends beyond delivering mail; it is also about serving Filipinos, especially in critical times like these,” Carlos noted.
His words echoed the experiences of PHLPost’s employees who volunteered, donated, and helped load the trucks themselves. Many described the response as a humbling experience, reaffirming their sense of purpose and commitment to public service.
PHLPost’s response to Typhoons Carina and Kristine reflected a broader evolution. Following the 2023 fire that devastated the Manila Central Post Office, the organization has embraced resilience training, stress management, and a stronger focus on community preparedness. Its national network, once solely focused on logistics and mail, now serves a greater purpose. Post offices across the country are now recognized as potential relief centres, with trucks loaded with mail now transporting food and shelter.
In a world growing more unpredictable, PHLPost’s story in 2024 is a reminder that help can come from the most familiar places. The local post office is more than a place to send things—it’s a where the spirit of bayanihan, the Filipino tradition of communal unity and helping one another, truly arrives.
And when the storm comes, PHLPost delivers.
This article first appeared in Union Postale Spring 2025.