Senator Francis Tolentino on Monday said the United States Navy’s capability to assist the Philippine government in cloud seeding operations can be part of the maritime cooperation agreement between the two countries, which includes humanitarian aid and calamity response.

“To add value to the current maritime cooperation, I look forward to the involvement of US Navy planes in assisting us in cloud seeding operations in various parts of the country to help us combat the current El Nino, to help our farmers,” Tolentino said in a press briefing.

“Siguro, yung ating existing cooperation sa kanila na kasama ang humanitarian missions ay hindi lang naman calamity. Calamity din po ang El Niño eh (Maybe our existing cooperation with them involving humanitarian missions is not only for calamities. El Niño is also a calamity),” he said.

Tolentino noted that the Department of Agriculture (DA) needs to hire private planes to conduct cloud seeding operations to supplement the water needs of crops during periods of low rainfall.

The lawmaker said he saw the effects of El Niño when he recently visited the provinces of Isabela and Zambales.

The Philippine and US governments have agreed to establish more Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in different parts of the country, which are seen to boost humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, as proven by the use of the Lal-lo Airfield EDCA site in Cagayan for relief missions during the height of Typhoon Egay in August last year. (PNA)

Photo credit: Official Gazette