The implementation of another round of Cloud Seeding Operations (CSO) in the province of Bohol depends upon the granting of permit by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
Roman Dabalos, head of the Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office/Agricultural Promotion Center (PATCO/APC) said the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO)7 had already prepared all the necessary requirements of the project to include the bidding except for the permit which they have followed up.
This was bared during the Provincial Coordinating Committee on Agri-Fishery (PCCAF) meeting last Tuesday held at the Reynas the Haven and Garden, New Calceta St., Cogon, Tagbilaran City.
The 42 hours of CSOs amounting to P2.5 million is sponsored by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) intended for Bohol and coursed through the DA-RFO 7 for the implementation.
Mary Grace C. Baay, Irrigator’s Development Officer, National Irrigation Administration (NIA)7 in the PCCAF meeting re-echoed the calls from the irrigators associations to the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) to conduct CSOs to save the vegetative stage of planted rice and other diversified crops and pasture areas for cattle.
Baay reported that the Talibon Small Reservoir Irrigation System in Zamora, Talibon is in critical level while three other dams are near critical levels.
She further revealed that as of August 25, 2019 dam water levels are as follows,Talibon Dam: actual – 20.23 meters (ms.), critical – 21.00 ms. and at full 30.00 ms.; Malinao Dam in Pilar: actual -147.25 ms, critical -146.6ms., at full – 152.00ms.; Bayongan Dam in San Miguel: actual – 42.56ms., critical – 41.00ms., at full -52.00 ms.; full – 36.00 ms.
In view of the situation, Baay said they have continued the implementation of alternate welting and drying, daily monitoring of the irrigated areas and strict implementation of water delivery schedule, and encourage the farmers to plant diversified crops on areas less served with water.
Leonard Samar from the local office of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) in the same meeting also reported that based on the forecast models (US, Japan), the Philippines will experience two to three typhoons in October, one to two typhoons for November and zero to one typhoon for December.
Samar said that in the current month there were three typhoons entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) namely: Liwayway, Marilyn, and Nimfa.
He said the rainfall in the eastern portion of Bohol (from Inabanga straight down to Lila) in October will be below normal while the western part of the province will be normal. In November, Bohol will be below normal while in December it will be normal, he added.
The PCCAF is one of the committees in the province assisted by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA). (Atoy Cosap)