Aya Fernandez urges urgent government action to address El Niño crisis

MANILA — Entrepreneur and “YSpeak 2.0” host Aya Fernandez is urging the government to respond more urgently to the effects of El Niño, saying farmers are already facing severe water shortages and struggling to sustain their livelihoods amid irregular rainfall.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Thursday, Fernandez drew on her experience running Eco Uling, a social enterprise that works with coconut and vegetable farmers, to describe the severity of the situation on the ground.

“Kahapon kakagaling ko lang ng Sierra Madre kasi mayroon po akong social enterprise ang pangalan ay Eco Uling. Gumagawa kami ng uling na mula sa coconut waste, nakikipagtrabaho kami sa mga koprahan, farmers at mga vegetable farmers at saka mga cocounot farmers. Grabe po ‘yung critical urgency on the ground ng El Nino as in sobrang lala po. Apektado po ang mga katrabaho naming farms, apektado rin po kaming mga start-up. Kasi bayad kami agad pero ‘yung mga kliyenteng malalaki na nalulugi rin dahil sa inflation, dahil grabe ‘yung presyo ng piso. Hindi pwedeng hindi tayo mag-panic, kahit sabihan tayong huwag mag-panic, it’s organic,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez said she was frustrated by what she described as a disconnect between the conditions she witnessed in farming communities and the government’s response.

“I think as a business owner, as a founder, CEO, I think we deserve so much more and better from the government, from the national government. On the ground we feel that there’s a disconnect between what we experience, what I see that they’re experiencing.

“Kunwari ngayon, dalawa lang ‘yung ulan na na-experience sa isang buwan, dapat ngayon tag-ulan tayo. Gaya nga sa Sierra Madre ‘yung ilog, sobrang baba, what more kapag nag-April na ‘yan? Tapos mayroon pang Pax Silica na itatayo. So saan kukunin ‘ung tubig doon? As in ‘yung mga tao nga ngayon wala ng tubig, what more kapag itinayo ‘yung Pax Silica?

“Honestly, nagdadalawang isip ako na sabihin ito but sino pa ang magsasabi on their behalf kung hindi ako. Kasi ayaw ko sometimes nagsasalita ako on their behalf kasi hindi ko naman ‘yon karanasan but ‘yun nga fresh na fresh ‘yung feeling kasi galing ako doon kahapon and it’s terrible and it’s so alarming yet mayroong disconnect. Ang isasagot lang sa iyo don’t panic, paanong hindi ka magpa-panic?” she said.

Fernandez warned that businesses could do only so much to address the crisis, saying government inaction could have serious consequences for the economy. She said her company had called an emergency meeting with its board of advisers to discuss the situation.

“Businesses can only do so much but if policies, the national government will not make action as soon as possible babagsak ang ekonomiya natin. I am doing all I can, mayroon kaming emergency meeting ng board namin, board of advisors ng kumpanya. Kasi ganoon na siya, ganoon na ‘yung level of ‘panic,’” she said.

She reiterated her call for greater government accountability and urgency, particularly for the Indigenous communities affected by the worsening conditions.

“I just think, I would like to demand more accountability and sense of urgency from the government as a regular Filipino citizen, ‘yun lang. And, I’m not afraid to be quoted about that. Kasi kawawa po ang mga katutubong Filipino kasi mga Dumagat po ang katrabaho natin,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez was interviewed by ABS-CBN News after the media conference of “Los Salvajes Bravos” in Quezon City. She ispart of upcoming psychological horror-thriller film “Andoy,” with Cedrick Juan as the lead star.

Fernandez is also part of the vertical series “The Perfect Wife,” with Jane Oineza as the lead star. “The Perfect Wife” marks Fernandez’s first vertical series project.