ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Zamboanga on Saturday made its first flight for cloud-seeding operations in the region in a bid to induce rainfall, here, and alleviate the plight of local farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

This developed as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered a moratorium on payment of irrigation service fees to help farmers cope with the devastating effects of the dry spell, while two cities and four towns in Negros Occidental are set to be placed under the state of calamity due to the extent of damage on crops.

With a budget of about P3 million, the DA will conduct at least 70 cloud-seeding flight operations in this city and in other areas of the region where the dry spell is worst experienced.

A team from the DA’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) led by the Teddy Bersabe, together with City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat, told Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat that the cloud-seeding activities started Saturday.

DA Secretary Horacio Ramos has allocated some P3 million for the conduct of about 70 flying sorties of cloud-seeding operations aimed at inducing artificial rain to areas hardest hit by the drought in the region.

Cloud-seeding is a form of weather modification whereby salt crystals are released into a cloud with the use of airplanes or helicopters. The particles (salt crystals) grow until they are large enough to cause precipitation to form.

Aside from boosting rainfall, cloud-seeding methods are also expected to help raise the levels of water reservoirs.

Lobregat told reporters here that cloud-seeding operations is only one of the many mitigating measures that can be undertaken to help cushion the effects of the dry spell.

The moratorium on irrigation fees was disclosed by Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) Rep. Nicanor Briones last Saturday in a forum in Manila as he said the payment freeze is worth P500 per hectare.

“This will be a great help to farmers to cope with the (worsening) impact of the El Niño phenomenon,” he told reporters.

It was reported that a total of P11 billion worth of rice and corn have already been destroyed in 14 provinces nationwide. Hardest hit were Isabela and Cagayan.

Other areas affected are Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Antique, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.

Currently, Murcia town in Negros Occidental is now under the state of calamity while the cities of Kabanakalan and Sipalay as well as the municipalities of Hinobaan, Isabela, La Castellana, and Don Salvador Benedicto will be placed under the same state anytime from now.

Negros Occidental provincial agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan said damage to crops has already reached P30,586,243, covering 1,870 hectares in 10 towns and five cities.

On farm animals, provincial veterinarian Dr. Renante Decena reported that animal deaths and damage to pasture lands amounted to P3,045,880 in nine cities and 13 municipalities with Kabankalan having the highest damage in farm animals at P539,200.00. Responding to the situation, Gov. Isidro Zayco convened Saturday the Negros Occidental El Niño/La Niña phenomenon Task Force to discuss measures in combating the effects of the dry spell.

Cloud seeding operations has been conducted and they intend to provide alternative livelihood assistance to the affected residents.

Meanwhile, Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) senatorial candidate and former Senator Vicente C. Sotto III urged the government to tap more desalination plants that could convert salt water to a potable one in a bid to address the water scarcity in several parts of the country brought by the  El Niño.

Sotto III came up with this proposal upon seeing provinces in Region 2.

Desalination is a process of removing salt and other minerals from water in order to make it safe for human consumption or irrigation.

“Middle Eastern countries and lately, Australia, have set their hopes on desalination these past many years and we just can’t sit idly while other countries solve their water problems by just tapping on sea water,” he said.

With this, Sotto called on the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to consider the establishment of desalination plants in selected coastal towns and villages to increase water supply especially in Metro Manila and Luzon.

In 2004, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) planned to tap the services of a desalination plant to provide additional water supply to the commercial establishments in Metro Manila.

In Cebu, Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. (MRII) has been operating 30 desalination facilities, supplying a total of 40,000 cubic meters of water a day.

In Asia, small island countries spend on desalination plants to solve their proverbial problems on seawater and brackish ground water.

The Asian Development Bank has identified Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, China, and Singapore as countries that successfully implement desalination techniques. (With reports from Raymund F. Antonio, Edith B. Colmo, Leonard D. Postrado, and Mick M. Basa)