Before the next storm hits, why not base a Navy hospital ship in the Philippines?

So asks my smart friend, Navy
Capt. Henry Hendrix. It makes sense the amount of damage caused by storms is increasing
(though not necessarily their frequency or intensity). He wrote this in an email
exchange Tuesday that I am quoting, of course, with his permission:

I have been suggesting for about
five years now that we ask the Philippines to allow us to dock a hospital ship
there with her non-medical caretaker crew. This would allow the ship to cut its
response time to the disasters that predominate in the region. The medical crew
could be flown out and the caretaker crew could ensure that the ship would not
be trapped in port when a storm hits. I also think that we should suggest
basing a squadron of unarmed JHSVs there to aide with intra-theater logistical
lift. I think we could get the Philippine government to agree to both of these
suggestions and would create the core of an influence squadron there in the
P.I.