• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental 5th district Rep. Emilio “Dino” Yulo slammed the Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) for not considering cloud seeding operations to address the widespread drought in the province, even as damage to rice and corn crops further increased to P90.6 million, as of March 19.
Yulo called the BSWM an “inept government office.”
He described as “very flimsy reason” the claims of BSWM, which is under the Department of Agriculture, that cloud seeding operations may harm flowering mango groves in Guimaras.
The 5th district of Negros Occidental, which is composed of six local government units, was reported as among the most badly hit by the drought, where 20 barangays are affected, including shortages of potable water, and damage to crops placed at P7,471,948.
In a report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, it said that 17 of the 31 component cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental are now experiencing drought, affecting 2,317 farmers and 1,995.80 hectares of rice land.
Damage to corn crops has been pegged at P442,740.80 in Murcia town and Sipalay.
Kabankalan City remained the hardest hit area with damage valued at P41.9 million.
Other areas hit by drought are Cauayan, Bago City, Himamaylan City, Valladolid, Hinobaan, Hinigaran, Sipalay City, Binalbagan, San Enrique City, Talisay City, Pulupandan, Don Salvador Benedicto, Moises Padilla and Isabela.*
