BACOLOD City — The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has started cloud-seeding operations in the Negros Island Region (NIR) and Panay Island as Negros Occidental prepares for a possible dry spell linked to the El Niño phenomenon.
The operations are being conducted by the SRA in partnership with the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED), with support from the Department of Agriculture (DA), following requests from sugar producers for intervention amid worsening dry conditions.
UNIFED president Manuel Lamata said the agency is responding to the concerns of sugar producers seeking measures to mitigate the effects of prolonged dry conditions on sugarcane plantations.
Lamata said four cloud-seeding sorties have been completed in Panay and another four in the NIR.
The latest sortie was conducted in Bayawan City on September 12, where rainfall was reported in several areas following the operation, according to Lamata.
He said the cloud-seeding activities are intended not only to induce rainfall over sugarcane plantations but also to help curb the spread of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), a pest whose effects can worsen during prolonged dry conditions.
Lamata said he had asked SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Acona to coordinate with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel for additional funding to expand cloud-seeding operations in the NIR.
He also renewed his call for the provincial government to acquire its own aircraft, saying sugar-producing provinces need to strengthen their capacity to respond to recurring climate-related threats and emergencies.
Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental provincial government is preparing for a potentially severe drought as the effects of El Niño are expected to begin in October and could persist through the first quarter of 2027.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the entire province could be affected by the dry spell, prompting the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to discuss possible measures during its third-quarter meeting at the Provincial Capitol.
Lacson said the provincial government is preparing for a worst-case scenario, particularly its possible effects on agriculture and water resources.
He said authorities are hoping the El Niño conditions will not persist into early 2027 but are preparing for the possibility of prolonged dry weather.
The provincial government is also awaiting a report on the potential impact of the dry spell in Hinigaran.
Lacson said the PDRRMC would determine the appropriate preparations and how available disaster funds could be maximized before the end of the year.
Despite the preparations, Negros Occidental is expected to receive rainfall this month, based on a report cited by the provincial government./PN
