Reassigned Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog has formally requested to be removed from responsibility for a controversial P4.536 million peso cloud seeding project describing the operation as “excessive, extravagant and unnecessary.”
The move comes amidst changing weather patterns and questions about the project’s necessity and fiscal prudence.
In a detailed letter dated July 5, 2024, addressed to Provincial Administrator Asteria C. Caberte, Quirog reiterated her earlier request to have her signature removed as the Requesting Officer/End User for the cloud seeding operation.
The request was initially made on June 3, 2024, but on June 19, 2024 Caberte replied to Quirog saying “As Head of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, your actions form the basis for the subsequent activities leading to the procurement and contract implementation… there is no justification why your name and signature should be removed from the documents in relation to the current CSOp as you requested.”
Quirog’s primary justification for distancing herself from the project is the onset of the rainy season in Bohol.
“The province is under rainy season and almost daily pronouncements of PAGASA of local thunderstorms and actual rains are being experienced in various parts of Bohol,” she stressed in her letter.
The change in weather conditions, according to Quirog, renders the cloud seeding operation unnecessary and potentially wasteful.
The provincial agriculturist also cited instructions from higher authorities, including Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin and NDRRMC Executive Director USec Ariel F. Nepomuceno, dating back to December 2023 and January 2024.
These instructions called for the “EXCLUSION OF CLOUD SEEDING OPERATION (CSO) AS AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION TO EL NINO due to lack of scientific data on their effectiveness.”
In a strongly worded statement, Quirog argued, “Should the Provincial Government of Bohol proceed to conduct Cloud Seeding Operation, any rainfall that might be experienced in the province could not anymore be ascertained as rain coming from the seeded clouds or occurring due to natural atmospheric conditions. Hence, I strongly believe, the logical basis to conduct the artificial induction of rain through Cloud Seeding is now irrelevant, impractical and might result to the wasteful use of government resources.”
The controversy is further complicated by Quirog’s removal from her position as Head of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in May 2024, through an executive order issued by Governor Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado.
The change in her official capacity, Quirog argues, places her “outside the spheres of procurement and implementation of the project.”
Adding to the contentious nature of the situation, Quirog highlighted a significant increase in the project’s cost.
She pointed out that a previous contract with Pegasus Air Services from October 2023 priced cloud seeding flights at P53,000 per hour, while the current agreement with the same aircraft, dated June 4, 2024, sets the rate at P81,000 per hour.
As the original Requesting Officer of the project, Quirog described this price difference as “excessive, extravagant, and unnecessary considering the change in the environmental conditions.”
The letter also sheds light on several other El Niño intervention projects she requested that have faced obstacles or cancellations:
1. A P59.586 million peso proposal from the Provincial Government’s Calamity Fund, submitted in July 2023, which was not approved despite support from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
2. A P30 million peso farmers’ crop insurance program, approved in October 2023, which failed to materialize due to procedural delays in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan was intended to indemnify some 30,000 farmers and fishermen with P10,000.00 each.
3. A P2.471 million peso cloud seeding operation contracted in October 2023, which was never delivered by the service provider, Pegasus Air Services.
4. A P23.469 million peso project for water pumps, water drums and other irrigation materials, which is currently undergoing cancellation process.
These failed or stalled projects paint a picture of systemic issues in the provincial government’s response to El Niño and changing weather patterns, Quirog said.
Quirog’s letter has raised questions about the decision-making process within the provincial government and the influence of various stakeholders.
She noted that “Resolutions by Farmers Associations appear to be orchestrated arguing that water remains scarce to plant the 58,000 hectares rice area of the province.”
However, she countered this by pointing out that “As the rains consistently fell in the month of June 2024 up to this week, planting during wet season for rice in the province tells us that rains come within 6 months from the month of May to October each year.”
Media reports have cited the controversy surrounding the cloud seeding project reflects broader debates about climate change adaptation strategies and the appropriate use of technology in agriculture.
While cloud seeding has been used in various parts of the world to combat drought conditions, its effectiveness and environmental impact remain subjects of scientific scrutiny.
Quirog said her stance highlights the importance of adaptive management in agricultural policy, emphasizing the need for flexibility in response to changing environmental conditions.
She noted that her argument that the onset of the rainy season in Bohol and elsewhere in the Visayas negates the need for artificial rain induction underscores the delicate balance between proactive planning and reactive adjustment in agricultural management.
She stressed that significant price increase for the cloud seeding operation raises concerns about fiscal responsibility and transparency in government contracting.
Quirog’s revelation of the price hike from P53,000 to P81,000 pesos per hour for cloud seeding flights warrants further investigation into the procurement process and the justification for such an increase.
Quirog’s letter, copy of which was obtained by The Bohol Tribune, exposes potential communication and coordination issues in the provincial government and other agencies.
While several El Niño intervention projects were approved but not implemented, Quirog said, it suggests a disconnect between planning and execution that could hinder effective governance and disaster preparedness.
As of the time of reporting, neither Provincial Administrator Caberte nor Governor Aumentado has publicly responded to Quirog’s letter.
The cloud seeding project remains a contentious issue, with its fate uncertain given the changing weather patterns and the questions raised about its necessity and cost-effectiveness.
The controversy comes at a critical time for Bohol’s agricultural sector, which faces challenges from changing climate patterns and the need for sustainable farming practices. Some farmers reportedly have flocked to agricultural offices in the towns asking for their seeds allocations which have not yet been delivered by the capitol saying, the rains have come and their lands are now ready to be planted.