“IT is imperative that we investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the delay in initiating these operations,” Provincial Board Member Nathaniel O. Binlod said in his privilege speech last week at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan plenary.
Binlod’s concern for an investigation into the delay in cloud seeding stemmed from the news article of Bohol Tribune that P10 million for the said operations was unnecessary.
“I urge this August Body to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the matter. We must ascertain the reasons for the delay, identify those responsible, and implement measures to ensure that such delays do not occur in the future.”
Binlod said that the recent publication by The Bohol Tribune dated June 23, 2024, headlined “P10M Cloud Seeding Unnecessary,” which is blatant deliberate and willful intent to mislead the public.”
He said the delay “has not only caused confusion and division among the public but has also raised serious concerns about the efficiency and reliability of our administrative procedures.”
Citing Bohol Tribune’s report, he said, that reassigned Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog has asserted, that the P10 million allocated for cloud seeding operations is now unnecessary. But Quirog’s office was the one which requested the cloud seeding as this is needed.
This writer texted Quirog to get her side but no reply was received.
He argued that it is not true that P10 million was allocated for cloud seeding but P5,017,280 only sourced from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management Region VII, based on the journal entry voucher of the Provincial Accountant’s Office. The fund (P5,017, 280.00) was recorded and received by the bank of the Provincial Government of Bohol on April 24, 2024.
The provincial government requested P7.5 million fund DA-BSWM Region VII, but only P5,017,280 granted under the General Appropriations Act of 2024, Binlod said.
Earlier on, an initial fund of P2.5 million from Bohol Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) was allotted but was not used.
DA said that on June 24, 2024, cloud seeding operations were conducted using 250 kg of salt. Cloud seeding is a process where salt is dispersed into seedable or suitable clouds to encourage faster development and increase rainfall.
It said that the flight for cloud seeding operations took off at 10:03 in the morning and landed at 11:14 a.m. The seeding time was recorded at 10:22 to 10:52 a.m.
The seeded skies for 30 minutes are along the towns of Carmen, San Miguel, Ubay, Alicia, Sierra, Pilar.
And the rainfall took place in the towns of Alicia, Carmen, Danao, Talibon, Trinidad, Sagbayan, Batuan, Catigbian, Balilihan, Antequera, Candijay, Mabini, Duero, Bilar, Sevilla, Corella, Maribojoc, Tagbilaran, Ubay. (rvo)
