BACOLOD CITY – The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) has urged the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to tap Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft for the proposed P30-million cloud seeding project instead of renting private planes.
NACUSIP national president Roland de la Cruz said the government should adopt a whole-of-government approach by maximizing existing state resources, particularly the PAF, which recently completed cloud seeding operations in Negros Occidental and other parts of the region.
De la Cruz said additional spending on private aircraft rentals could be avoided since the military had already demonstrated its capability to conduct the operations.
“We cannot afford to waste precious government allocations on exorbitant private rentals when taxpayers’ money already sustains the operations of the Philippine Air Force,” he said.
He described private aircraft rentals as an unnecessary expense, adding that the funds could instead be used for agricultural input subsidies and assistance to distressed agrarian reform beneficiaries and sugar workers.
NACUSIP cited the 28-day cloud seeding operation in Negros Occidental, carried out through the collaboration of the provincial government, Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), and PAF.
The operation recorded 38 sorties, equivalent to 52 flying hours, and utilized 456 bags of salt as a cloud seeding agent.
The labor federation commended Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson for the implementation of the operation, saying the partnership demonstrated the effectiveness of pooling government resources and technical expertise to address agricultural concerns.
With the DA-Negros Island Region preparing a P30-million cloud seeding project to mitigate the anticipated effects of a severe El Niño, NACUSIP called on the SRA, which is helping identify target areas, to prioritize coordination with government agencies instead of engaging private aviation contractors.
The group also recognized the participation of the PAF’s 900th Air Force Weather Group in previous operations, saying its involvement demonstrated the government’s capacity to undertake weather modification activities using existing resources.
NACUSIP stressed that the proposed project comes at a critical time, as agricultural damage in Negros Occidental has reached P41.98 million, affecting thousands of farmers and agricultural workers.
De la Cruz said every peso allocated for the project should be spent efficiently, with priority given to operational requirements and direct assistance to the agriculture sector.
The federation urged the SRA to adopt the provincial government’s approach of utilizing government resources to ensure that public funds are directed toward protecting farmers, sugar workers, and other stakeholders from prolonged dry conditions./PN
