I’d like to add my voice in honoring the TOYM of the Philippines for 2020. Let me cite in particular Atty. Lesley Cordero who used to be my undersecretary in the OPARR, tasked to integrate the recovery efforts of the government for Super Typhoon Yolanda, one month after the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in history made landfall, damaging 171 cities and municipalities in 14 provinces of the five regions of the country, killing more than 6000 people and affecting 11 million others in central Philippines.

Without Undersecretary Cordero being seconded to the OPARR, I could not imagine how we could put together an eight-volume, 8,000-page Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan in record time of under eight months.

Walang pondo, walang sweldo sa loob ng apat na buwan, wala kaming reklamong nagtrabaho upang mapagaan ang buhay at kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan na matinding pinahirapan ng bagyong Yolanda. Nakatayo ako sa bulwagang ito, mahal na pangulo, upang pasalamatan at pahalagahan si Atty. Cordero, sampu ng kanyang mga kasama sa TOYM of 2020. Maraming salamat po Mr. President.

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