If the process time would catch up, the cloud seeding operation over the watershed areas in Bohol will be conducted on Aug. 26, 2016.

This was the initial information given by Engr. Henry Cacayan, Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM)-Department of Agriculture (DA) Cloud Seeding Focal Person after he and Leon Parac, Jr., Provincial Cloud Seeding Focal Person conducted an ocular inspection to the watershed areas and rice fields in Bohol last Thursday and Friday.

Cacayan said that his office is now in the process of preparing the bidding and securing the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) permit for the 30 hours of operations.

He explained that due to the limited budget, the agency has allocated an amount good for 30 hours of cloud seeding operations.

Parac bared that the water elevation levels of Malinao Dam in Pilar, Bayongan Dam in San Miguel, Capayas Dam in Ubay and Talibon Dam in Talibon has drastically decreased due to intense heat.

According to Parac, the rice farms in Ubay served by the Capayas Dam have been badly affected by the scarcity of water supply.

Governor Edgar M. Chatto on July 18, 2016 sent a letter to BSWM Director Silvino Q. Tejada strongly recommending the conduct of an artificial rain to save hectares of rice lands in Bohol.

Chatto pointed out that rice production in the province would greatly be affected if there will be no cloud seeding done.

Based on the weekly El Niño situation report of the Bohol Integrated Irrigation System (BIIS), National Irrigation Administration (NIA) 7 dated August 8, 2016, it showed that almost 100% of rice farms served by the four dams in Bohol had already been planted with rice and since then the dams could not deliver water due to lack of rain.

The Bohol Irrigators Associations earlier expressed apprehension on the dismal effects to their production this wet cropping season (June-November 2016) if the thousands of hectares could not be saved by artificial rain. (Atoy Cosap)