Gov. Marañon to ask DA for cloud seeding

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said the provincial government will ask the Department of Agriculture for the conduct of cloud seeding operations over the province as the dry spell continued to take its toll on agricultural crops.

“We will request for funding from Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala,” whose department knows the technical aspect of the operation, said Marañon.

Cloud seeding operations is very costly, but the provincial government will set aside a counterpart for it, said the governor, adding that it is however a not-perfect measure over a dried up area. “Sometimes, the rain falls on the sea instead,” said the governor.

Cloud seeding, a form of weather medication, is the process of spreading dry ice into the clouds to stimulate the precipitation process and form rain.

Earlier, the provincial government was mulling to buy a small aircraft for cloud seeding operations.  (FREEMAN)