Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the cloudseeding operation managed by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) may happen this week to induce more rains in the province.
"It is welcomed by the farmers," Lacson said Monday, June 3.
Lacson said he was informed that procurement has been made and that the BSWM is coordinating with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the suppliers.
"This cloudseeding thing is getting controversial as there are critics saying why conduct the cloudseeding now when obviously there are seedable clouds," Lacson said.
He added, "I talked and asked some sugar planters if they are happy with the rain that we are having naturally and they said no. I asked do they wanted more rain and they said, of course, especially areas that are not irrigated," Lacson said.
The BSWM in March informed the governor that there were no seedable clouds at that time and that if they conducted cloudseeding there was only a slim or no chance of inducing rain.
"They came back to us in May. Now is the best time for cloudseeding because obviously, the clouds we have now are seedable, and this will be funded by the Department of Agriculture," Lacson said.
The cloudseeding may be happening this week to increase more rains which is welcomed by more farmers, the governor added.
As of May 24, damages due to drought have reached P340,725,540.92.
Based on the report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, damages to rice reached P306,736,598.61; corn, P17,102,799.31; high-value commercial crops, P13,330,121; and fisheries, P3,556,022.*