Cloud Seeding Pushed To Mitigate Effects Of El Niño

Two lawmakers are urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau on Soil and Water Management (BSWM) to conduct cloud seeding operations in Cagayan de Oro City, which is one of the areas heavily affected by El Niño.

In House Resolution 2626, Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) and Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party-list, ABAMIN) said as early as May 2015, the Cagayan de Oro City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) recommended that 15 barangays be placed under state of calamity due to the effects of El Niño with damages to agriculture almost reaching PHP60 million.

The affected areas include Balubal, F.S. Catanico, Indahag, Pagatpat, San Simon, Baikingon, Lumbia, Pagalungan, Tagpangi, Bayanga, Mambuaya, Dansolihon, Tuburan, Pigsag-an, Tumpagon, Tignapoloan, and Canitoan, Rodriguez said.

According to Rodriguez, the Philippine Air Force expressed readiness to conduct cloud-seeding operations as early as September last year to mitigate the impact of El Niño phenomenon.

“The BSWM has already conducted cloud seeding operations in different areas for 2016 including Tagbilaran last January 13 and in the Soccsksargen province last January 20,” Rodriguez added.

Rodriguez said cloud seeding is a form of weather modification thru the process of manually spreading either dry ice or salt into the upper part of the clouds to help stimulate the precipitation process and form rain.

“This is usually done during droughts because even if cloud seeding does not ‘end’ a drought, it provides some increases in precipitation even during drought periods,” he said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has said the dry spell may intensify until early to mid-2016.

The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Food chaired by Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza (4th District, Batangas). (PNA) JMC/PR/EBP