“In disaster management, while technical knowledge is key, what is more important is to let people feel that you know what they are going through, and you are there to help and support them.”
LESLEY Jeane Yu Cordero epitomizes the statement that “the best person for a man's job is a woman.”
As one of the best brains in disaster risk management not just in the Philippines but also in the East Asian region, no one will dare contradict such a statement.
Cordero is the senior disaster risk management (DRM) specialist of the World Bank.
Based in Singapore, Cordero oversees the World Bank's over a billion-dollars worth of DRM projects in the Philippines.
“She worked on innovative policies and instruments such as recovery frameworks; emergency cash transfers and adaptive social protection measures; multi-hazard vulnerability assessment tools; resilient infrastructure program; local government catastrophe risk insurance; and contingent financing facility for disasters,” her bio-sketch in the World Bank website reads.
Cordero graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law and was a member of the pioneering Executive Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) class of the National Defense College of the Philippines, which makes her a lieutenant colonel in the reserve force of the Philippine Army.
She took up Philosophy at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City and graduated magna cum laude.
Cordero is an adjunct faculty at the Asian Institute of Management for the Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management program, and is one of the most sought-after lecturer and resource speaker in disaster resilience.
Among her numerous awards and citations, being named as one of The Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in 2020 tops them all.
Prior to joining the World Bank, she served as an undersecretary at the Office of the President, Office of the Cabinet Secretary and the Presidential Communications Operations Office during the administration of President Benigno Aquino 3rd.
Following the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in November 2013, she was tasked to assist former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson who was appointed Presidential Assistant on Relief and Recovery.
“I learned a lot from Sen. Ping Lacson and Secretary Rene Almendras (head of Task Force Pablo),” Cordero said of her experience in disaster management.
“The job involved coordinating with over a hundred stakeholders — Cabinet secretaries, undersecretaries, bureau directors, governors, mayors, generals — to deliver the recovery plan in six months.”
With a P167.8-billion budget, the second Aquino administration implemented 18,000 projects on infrastructure, social services, education, health, livelihood, agriculture and housing in 14 provinces, 171 cities and municipalities across six regions for 5.7 million Filipinos affected by the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda.
“We also developed a coordination platform for the private sector, CSOs (civil society organizations) and international organizations. Sharing experiences, lessons learned, and discussing recovery and reconstruction efforts of the Philippines from these two major disasters led me to my job at the World Bank,” Cordero narrated.
The young undersecretary's task may be daunting, but she admirably managed with a smile and leading by example.
“Communicating and providing regular updates, sharing information to help in decision-making and more importantly, showing compassion and empathy,” she explained.
“In disaster management, while technical knowledge is key, what is more important is to let people feel that you know what they are going through, and you are there to help and support them.”
Now in her eighth year with the World Bank, Cordero has taken her grit and experience to a bigger field as she worked on DRM projects in countries across East Asia and the Pacific.
“It is tough doing this for the Philippines because the expectation is very high — to do it better and faster because the country is so vulnerable to disasters,” Cordero maintained.
“We want to have something ready in case a major disaster strikes. But in the field of disaster risk management, most of the countries have the same challenges — limited budget for response and recovery, delays in procurement, resilient standards and designs of schools, health facilities, housing, capacity of local governments, access to resources, delays in approval and implementation of projects, among others.
“The key is to help customize innovative solutions to support countries prepare better, respond faster and recover resiliently based on their policies, regulations and local contexts,” she said.
Cordero said the learnings and training she got from law school and from the yearlong MNSA program further honed her skills and knowledge in her field of expertise.
“Taking up law and doing the MNSA was exciting — something different but complementary. It was interesting to learn new things that allowed me to be more effective in my work and advocacy.
“The feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment did not come from the academic degrees, titles nor awards, but the number of people, communities and governments that I was able to help and support through transformative policy reforms and capacity building.
“I was able to do more and support countries better because I applied the innovations I have learned from law school and the master's program in the field of disaster and crisis management,” Cordero shared.
Of late, Cordero has no time to do mainstream lawyering that requires appearances in courtrooms.
“But the rigorous training as a lawyer comes in handy in understanding the legal frameworks, policies and regulations of countries to help strengthen the government's capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, climate risks and health emergencies.
“I want to teach and share knowledge, practical experiences [and] challenges about disaster and crisis management. I want to inspire more young people and DRM practitioners to pursue this field because it is exciting and evolving. I need to find time to teach,” she said.
Cordero's childhood ambition was to become a scientist.
“But I quickly outgrew it and dreamt of becoming a lawyer,” she said. “I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps growing up.
“So now that I am a lawyer. I also wanted to be an athlete to compete and represent the country in a cool sport. But I never got around to pursuing my ambition.
“I just need to do ordinary things extraordinarily well — one task, one project, one venture at a time — and before you know it, I would have made a difference in my organization, in the community, in the country and the world.”
Amid all the work, Cordero manages to juggle her time between work and home. She admirably keeps a balance between the two.
“It is important to make time for family (home) and 'me-time' because work will never be done, there is always a new assignment, new project, etc. Sometimes, I joke, work is like iced tea — refillable and unlimited. Prioritizing time for family, scheduling regular vacations and taking breaks during weekends to relax and recharge is also important.”
Since she's single and having fun, Cordero enjoys her freedom. She goes out on dates occasionally.
Watching a few movies or a TV series, reading a book and window shopping is a fun way to unwind. “On weekends, I also find time to go to the park, or visit the zoo or catch up on sleep.
“Bonding moments with family are finding a good restaurant, enjoying the food and catching up. Taking a vacation with family, exploring a new place, enjoying the food and sights are something that we enjoy together. Going to the beach for an overnight stay is also something that we make time for to relax and bond.”
Her parents and siblings are very supportive and proud of what she has been doing.
“They feel that it is important work to help governments and communities prepare for and anticipate the impacts of disasters and climate risks,” Cordero said.
“They know and understand that in my line of work (disaster management) is a 24/7 job. They advise me to take some breaks when I can to rest and recharge because you do not know when the next disaster will happen.
“Prepare as much as I can and learn to ask for help when needed. They also advised me to adjust, adapt and find ways to do things better.”
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QUICK QUESTIONS
What is your biggest fear?
Heights
What really makes you angry?
People who take advantage.
What motivates you to work hard?
To be the best at what I do and make an impact.
If you could share a meal with any individual living or dead, who would they be?
Michael Jackson or Kobe Bryant.
What was the last book you read?
“Driven from Within” by Michael Jordan and Mark Vancil.
What celebrity would you like to meet for a cup of coffee?
Michael Jordan, David Beckham or Lea Salonga.
What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
(Sand) Dune bashing in Dubai.
What is the one thing you will never do again?
None — I have no regrets.
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