Throughout his 25-year journey with Smart, Nebrija has met several challenges that have molded him as a leader. Apart from the tough competition and quotas, one of the biggest trials that he and his team face yearly is typhoon season. 
 
“Eastern Visayas is the entry point of most of the typhoons. And since we cannot deny this fact, we have to be prepared for it,” he said.
 
This mindset, spurred by the tragic impact of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, has pushed him to do better and enabled him to be one of the first responders. “When Super Typhoon Odette ravaged most parts in Visayas and Mindanao, we were already able to prepare for the worst. Days before it was forecasted to landfall, we have already coordinated with our network teams, deployed generator sets and stations for free calls and texts and reloaded our retailers. Because we were able to prepare, we were the first to restore,” he said. 
 
Recently, with Typhoon Agaton, he and his team were also able to expedite distribution of relief aids to affected communities.
 
As the team leader handling Eastern Visayas for Regional Customer Development, Nebrija prepares for all possible scenarios that typhoons may inflict toward the business. This is always included in his team’s monthly agenda and calendar of activities.
 
Nebrija believes: “A great leader inspires greatness in others. Armed with grit and determination, I was able to thrive in the last 25 years. These are the values that I want to share with my younger colleagues. To do that, I need to be consistent. I need to walk the talk.”
 
Leaders like Nebrija have aided PLDT and Smart in helping the country attain the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG No. 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. It is also testament to the PLDT group’s #SafeandSmart advocacy which promotes preparedness and immediate response through network resilience, continuous availability of communication services, and relief assistance to help communities mitigate disaster risks.