• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday ruled out buying an airplane or helicopter for use in cloud seeding operations as the effects of drought to crops in Negros Occidental reached P184.7 million as of last week.
Lacson also reiterated that the province is not yet declaring a state of calamity, stressing that the provincial government has money for assistance to the drought-affected farmers.
“Once we start giving out, we will see, if there is still a need for more,” the governor said.
Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED), earlier issued an appeal to the provincial government to declare a state of calamity so it can acquire an airplane for cloudseeding operation to induce rain and lessen the effects of drought.
“Our sugar industry needs rain now. This will be the same next year and the province should be ready to help the island of Negros,” Lamata said in a statement.
“The problem is not the plane. It is our experts saying that we cannot do the cloudseeding,” Lacson stressed, citing a study of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, which recommended against it due to absence of seedable clouds.
“We can always rent a plane to do that,“ the governor said, noting also that El Niño is not a regular occurrence.
He pointed out that once you buy a plane or a helicopter, it’s already a “gastos (expenses) all the way”.
“I could imagine the use of that plane, of course, they will expect it for free,” Lacson said.
The municipality of San Enrique and component city of Kabankalan have already placed their respective areas under a state of calamity because of the effects of El Niño to their crops, which also reduced water level.
The provincial government is set to distribute about P10-million financial assistance to the drought-affected farmers, who are expected to receive P2,000 each.
Kabankalan and San Enrique are also distributing assistance to their respective farmers, after declaring a state of calamity. | GB
