By I. Inojales | 01:32 PM September 18, 2026
Cracks are spreading across rice fields in Catigbian, Bohol, as prolonged dry conditions brought by El Niño continue to take a toll on the province’s agriculture. — BIN
TAGBILARAN CITY— The provincial government is rushing the procurement of a P5-million cloud-seeding operation as El Niño continues to threaten agricultural production in Bohol.
The operation was discussed during the third full-council meeting of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Sept. 17, where Larry Pamugas of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) reported on the effects of El Niño on the province’s agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte said the cloud-seeding contract could be awarded on Friday, Sept. 18, after the procurement was placed under an emergency procedure because of the urgency of the situation.
Two companies, Pegasus and Fliteline, have expressed interest in conducting the operation.
The P5 million, sourced from the provincial disaster risk reduction and management fund, is enough for about 31 hours of cloud-seeding flights, Caberte said.
The provincial government will also coordinate with Aboitiz to explore ways of reducing aircraft service costs.
If the contract is awarded on schedule, cloud-seeding flights could begin on Monday, Sept. 21.
A separate P7 million allocation from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management for cloud seeding is also being processed at the regional level.
The PDRRMC underscored the urgency of cloud seeding as a mitigation measure amid the continuing effects of El Niño on Bohol’s agricultural sector.
Pamugas also reported on preparations for the operation at both the provincial and regional levels, as the government seeks to help ease the impact of insufficient rainfall on farmers and agricultural production.
