Iloilo rejects offer of artificial rain amid concern over summer crops

ILOILO CITY — The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) of Iloilo says it is not yet time to turn to artificial rain via cloud seeding due to the possible damage to summer crops that have already been planted.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has scheduled cloud seeding operations in the Western Visayas Region from April 3-15.

“If the rain directly goes to our vegetables and summer fruits such as watermelon and mangoes, then we will have a problem. These crops do not need a lot of water and if we implement cloud seeding it could affect their production,” said Dr. Ildefonso T. Toledo, head of PAO.

Mr. Toledo said the weather bureau should make sure that the rain from cloud seeding goes mainly to watershed areas.

“My recommendation to PAGASA, if in case they have to go through with this activity, they should make sure that it falls in rivers and watershed. But if it drops in our crop production area, then we will have a problem,” he said.

Meanwhile, engineer Oscar C. Tabada, PAGASA officer-in-charge for the Visayas, said Iloilo province needs more catchment dams to make the cloud seeding beneficial.

“When you talk of cloud seeding, you are producing artificial rain. And you need a catchment dam to store water so you can use it for days. You cannot do it everyday,” Mr. Tabada said, noting that funding for cloud seeding from the national government is P59 million.

He called on the National Economic and Development Authority to look into the construction of more dams in the province.

“It will entail big cost but it is never too late. Local government units can request the funds from the national government,” he said.

Mr. Talaba said the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II in Calinog town, currently under construction and including a catchment dam, is not enough to store water produced by cloud seeding.