Pact using PAF planes for cloud seeding signed

The Departments of Agriculture and National Defense on Wednesday formalized an agreement to utilize air force aircraft in cloud seeding operations.

In a news conference, Agriculture Undersecretary Emerson Palad said Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin signed the memorandum of agreement on May 2.

The agreement took effect immediately.

Prior to the signing of the  agreement, the DA’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) contracted private aircraft operators to seed clouds in a bid to induce rains over agricultural areas and watersheds.

Cloud seeding was identified as one of the measures to minimize the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.

"To date, a total of 252 sorties (352 flying hours) with a success rate of 68 percent was conducted in various locations in the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Maguindanao, Davao Sur, Davao Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao City, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Sur, Isabela, Cagayan, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, part of Ifugao and Kalinga," the agriculture department said in a statement.

Watch GMA Network's resident meteorologist Mang Tani explain how cloud seeding works:

— APG, GMA News