• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday reiterated that the province is not yet declaring a state of calamity, despite the damage to crops in Negros Occidental reaching P184.7 million, due to the drought, while also ruling out the suggestion to buy an aircraft for cloud seeding operations.
“There’s still money that we can give out. Once we start giving it out, we will see if there is still a need for more,” Lacson 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 buy an airplane for cloud seeding operations, in order to induce rains to lessen the effect of the drought in Negros Occidental.
“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 cloud seeding,” Lacson stressed, citing a study by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, which recommended against it due to absence of seedable clouds, as of this time.
“We can always rent a plane to do that,” the governor said, noting that El Niño is not a regular occurrence.
Once you buy an airplane or a helicopter, Lacson said it’s already an expense all the way, citing maintenance.
Admitting that buying an airplane or a helicopter has been brought up in discussions, the governor said he politely turned it down.
“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 on their crops, along with their water levels.
The provincial government is set to distribute about P10 million financial assistance to drought affected farmers, who are expected to receive P2,000 each.
After declaring a state of calamity, the Kabankalan City government, as well as San Enrique, are also distributing assistance to their affected farmers.*
