ILOILO – The Provincial Agriculture Office expressed hope that cloud seeding operations could commence this week in Negros Occidental, potentially impacting Iloilo and other parts of Western Visayas, provided the situation at Kanlaon Volcano improves.
The volcano erupted on Monday night, June 3.
Cloud seeding involves dispersing salt into seedable clouds to induce rainfall.
The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) team is currently in Negros preparing for the cloud seeding, according to Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, the Iloilo provincial agriculturist.
However, the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano delayed the schedule, as aircraft were grounded on Tuesday morning, June 4.
Cloud seeding operations in Negros Occidental are anticipated to influence weather patterns across Western Visayas, including Iloilo. These operations aim to alleviate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, driven by prevailing northeasterly winds.
The Bacolod-Silay International Airport has been chosen as the cloud seeding operational hub due to air traffic constraints at the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town.
With flights now resumed at Bacolod-Silay International Airport, Toledo is optimistic about proceeding within the week.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed that this will push through. With the recent Kanlaon eruption, rain is essential to wash out the ashfall, particularly in Negros, to mitigate the effects of the ash. Heavy rain would wash the leaves of our crops, ultimately aiding their survival,” Toledo said.
A Philippine Air Force aircraft will be used for cloud seeding. Negros Occidental has been chosen due to the presence of seedable clouds there, a critical factor for successful cloud seeding.
The Iloilo provincial government has been preparing for the impact of cloud seeding on agriculture, particularly on crops like watermelon, which are vulnerable to excessive rainfall.
A meeting with Municipal Agriculture Officers (MAOs) from 43 local government units was convened to advise farmers on mitigating potential damage.
The national government will cover the costs of the cloud seeding as part of their support for farmers affected by El Niño.
According to the latest damage report by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 dated May 16, the agriculture sector in the region has suffered approximately P1.49 billion in damages due to El Niño, with Iloilo experiencing the highest losses at P857 million.
This has led to the declaration of a state of calamity in both Antique and Iloilo provinces.
Other provinces reported losses as follows: Antique – P210,835,048; Capiz – P203,493,321; Negros Occidental – P117,485,447; Guimaras – P69,261,204; and Aklan – P36,079,929./PN
