Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 12) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to conduct cloud-seeding operations (CSO) for Magat Dam and other Bohol dams in preparation for the looming dry spell in the country, an official confirmed Wednesday.
“Kailangan na talagang mag-conduct ng cloud-seeding. ‘Yun ang naging findings, ang kasama po rito sa joint area assessment ay ang National Irrigation Administration Regional Office and local government units,” DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management Ernesto Brampio said in a press briefing.
[Translation: We really need to conduct cloud-seeding operations. That’ s the findings of a joint area assessment we conducted together with the National Irrigation Administration Regional Office and local government units.]
“May tubig pa naman ‘yung Magat kaya lang bumababa, sa Bohol actually kailangan na rin mag conduct ng cloud-seeding operations,” he added.
[Translation: There is still water in Magat but it’s declining, it is also necessary to conduct cloud-seeding operations in Bohol.]
The DA official said the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System submitted their request for CSO even before the state weather bureau warned about the impending El Niño. He added that the DA-Region 2 has allocated ₱9 million for the CSO in the dam.
READ: Marcos: El Niño mitigation plan out this week
Magat Dam is one of the country’s largest dams that provides water supply to 85,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Cagayan region.
Aside from Region 2, Brampio said the provincial office of Central Visayas has also requested for CSO worth ₱2.5 million in various dams in Bohol.
For a dam to qualify for a CSO, Brampio said its water level must be at critical stage. The cost of CSO is around ₱50,000 per hour, which is equivalent to at least ₱5 million in 45 hours – the agency’s average period of time in every operation.
The DA has not yet received any request for a CSO in Angat Dam at the moment.
