Month: December 2018

The awarding ceremony forSuhidsaMalampusong Mag-uumangBol-anon 2018 which was earlier scheduled on December 25, 2018 at JJ’s Seafood Village, K of C Driveway, Poblacion 2, this city was indefinitely postponed due to some technicalities in processing the documents for the awards.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas said that he already informed the municipal mayors, municipal agriculturists (MAs), municipal agricultural officers (MAOs), agricultural technicians (ATs) of the 17 towns of the provinceregarding the matter through BLECS and telephone brigade where the winners of the different categories of the search came from.
The winners and the corresponding prizes of the SUHID ’18 are RamuelSayson (Tuboran, Bien Unido, Bohol) – Outstanding Fisherman – Fish capture with a prize of P5,000, Irma Villanueva (Bugang Sur, Bilar) – Outstanding Farmer – Fish Culture (P5,000), Bayongan Fishermen’s Association (Bayongan, San Miguel, Bohol) – Outstanding Fishermen’s Association (P15,000).
Maria Luz Alcala (MLGU, Cortes, Bohol) – Outstanding Fishery Technician (P5,000); Melchor P. Yaras, Del Pilar, Pilar, Bohol – Outstanding Rice Farmer (Adopting Integrated Farming) (P10,000) ; Angeles C. Opiala, San Agustin, Talibon – Outstanding Rice Technician (P5,000); Antonio B. Bunayog, San Isidro, Dauis, Bohol – Corn Farmer (Adopting Integrated Farming (P10,000); Anna Luz V. Duhaylungsod, MLGU Dauis, Bohol – Outstanding Corn Technician (P5,000); Karl Nonnan P. Endres, Poblacion Norte, Batuan, Bohol – Small Animal Raiser (Adopting Integrated Farming System (P5,000); Danilo Garcia, Buenasuerte, Pilar, Bohol – Large Animal Raiser (Adopting Integrated Farming System (P5,000);Celso C. Basilad, MLGU Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol – Agricultural Technicial (Livestock) (P5,000); Jonathan Quito, Agape, Loboc, Bohol – Outstanding Young Farmer (P15,000); Manga National High School c/o Mark Vincent Arabejo (4-H Club president) – Outstanding Young Farmer Association/Club (P20,000); Victor Ramos, San Isidro, Sagbayan, Bohol – Farm Family (P10,000);
Balilihan Association of Women’s for Development, Del Carmen Sur, Balilihan, Bohol – Outstanding Agri-Enterprise for Crops (P15,000); PrudencioPolinar, Rosariohan, Batuan, Bohol – High Value Commercial Crop Farmer (P5,000); Oscar Ong, LGU Maribojoc, Bohol – HVCDP Technician (P5,000); AngelitoOroyan, LGU Talibon – Outstanding Municipal Agriculturist/Agricultural Officer (P5,000); MAFC Ubay c/o Rey Boaquin (chairman), LGU Ubay, Ubay, Bohol – Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (MAFC) (P15,000); Banlasan Rural Improvement Club, Trinidad – Rural Improvement Club (RIC) (P15, 000); Bunga, Ilaya Farmers Association, Jagna, Bohol – Farmers Association (P15, 000).
Pamugas assured that the awarding rites will be done early 2019 as he gave the cellphone number of Rosanna G. Lamdagan, head, Agribusiness Division – Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) at 0999-366-2797 for inquiries and information regarding the search.
He thanked them for their continued support and cooperation given to the provincial government in the quest geared towards agricultural development in securing food sufficiency in Bohol.
The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) under the administration of Gov. Edgar M. Chatto will once again recognize and give awards to the Boholano farmers who have excelled in the field of agriculture.
Agriculture is one of the developmental frameworks of Gov. Chatto’s administration whom he considered as the backbone of Bohol’s industry that triggers the economic growth of the province.
The PGBh has allocated big budget to the agriculture, thus several interventions have been given to the farmers. (AtoyCosap)

Despite the 13 seeding flights of the ongoing Cloud Seeding Operations (CSOs) over different areas of Bohol most specifically watershed areas, the actual water elevations of the four major dams have not reachedtheir full or normal water levels.
Engr. Evelina P. Putong, section chief, Operations – National Irrigation Administration, Regional Office No. 7 reported that as of Dec. 11, 2018, the water elevations of Malinao Dam in Pilar was 150.80 meters (ms.) against 152 ms. at full, Bayongan Dam (San Miguel) at 46.10ms. at par with the normal water level of 52 ms., Capayas Dam (Ubay) at 36.35 ms. against 36.50 ms. and Talibon Dam (Talibon) at 27.39 ms. against the 30 ms. spill elevation.
Based on the data, three of the four dams had recorded decrease on its November 21, 2018 water elevations compared to its levels recorded last Dec. 11, 2018 wherein the Malinao Dam from 151.78 ms. down to 150.80 ms.,Capayas Dam at 36.50 ms. decreased to 36.35 ms. and the Talibon Dam from 27.51ms. to 27.39ms. last December 11, 2018.
Leon Parac, Jr., Cloud Seeding focal person said that of the 45-hour contract CSOs sponsored by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh), Philippine Air Force (PAF), and the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) there are still about 24 hours remaining after the 21 hours were consumed in the 13 sorties of operations.
Parac said that since the CSOs started last November 8, 2018 until last Tuesday, almost all towns in the province of Bohol had experienced light to moderate rains such as Duero, G-Hernandez, Albur, Corella, Baclayon, Tagbilaran City, Cortes, Dauis, Panglao, Lila, Dimiao, Loboc, Sikatuna, Loay, Ubay, Carlos P. Garcia, Bien Unido, Talibon, Getafe, Buenavista, Trinidad, Danao, Mabini, Candijay, Inabanga, Sagbayan, Clarin, Calape, San Isidro, Tubigon, Catigbian, Loon, Maribojoc, Antequera, and Calape.
However, Paracexpressed dismay over the policy being implemented at the Bohol Panglao International Airport.They were not allowed to stock the salt and aviation gasoline within the perimeter of the airport,causing delay in the operations.
He said the aviation gas has been stocked at the vacated Tagbilaran City Airport while the sacks of salt are deposited at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), Capitol Annex Building, Dao, Tagbilaran City that need to travel for about 15 kilometers before it could be loaded to an aircraft for another sorty.
Parac said they were ward off by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) guards when they took shelter at the terminal building amid rainfall.
He said that he was disappointed on the treatment given to them by one of the government agencies considering also that they are working in the government discharging services for the good of the public.
The cloud seeding focal person disclosed that after the 45 hours CSOs being conducted, another 42 hours CSOs funded by the PGBh will commence immediatelyto have more supply of water in the dams to ensure that all Boholano farmers could plant rice this dry cropping season.
Bohol has the total rice area of 56,913.21 hectares (has.) of which 32,919.53 has. are rain-fed and 23,993.68 has. are irrigated. (AtoyCosap)

CLOUD SEEDING ON GOING. An aircraft is loaded with vacuum dried salt and aviation gasolineat the Bohol Panglao International Airportready for another seeding flight over the different parts of Bohol especially the watershed areas in order to produce artificial rain for the major dams in Bohol to ensure that all Boholano farmers could plant rice this dry cropping season. Foto: JUN PARAC

The closure of the Tagbilaran City Airport had caused a delay in the resumption of the Cloud Seeding Operations (CSOs) in the province of Bohol.
This surfaced after the aircraft being used in the seeding flight operation must be based at the Bohol Panglao International Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) won’t allow that the vacuum dried salt and the aviation gasoline could be stocked within the perimeter of the airport.
Leon Parac, Jr. cloud seeding focal person said that stocking the salt and aviation gas outside the perimeter of the airport could really cause the delay in the operations considering the distance that could hamper the smooth operations.
Parac said that Gov. Edgar M. Chatto had already sent a formal letter to CAAP Central Office through Atty. Rafael A.Tatlonghari CAAP/Airport Manager, Bohol Panglao International Airport requesting the said office to provide space for free at the airport for the command center in the operations and for the salt stocking.
He said that the cloud seeding operation that was started last November 8, 2018, has caused rains to several towns in the province.
Engr. Donesa Autida from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported on their weekly monitoring of the four major dams in Bohol and they have noticed an increase in water level elevations.
She said that on Nov. 5 monitoring, the water elevation of Bayongan Dam in San Miguel was registered at 45.02 meters (ms.), Malinao Dam in Pilar (151.88 ms.), Capayas Dam in Ubay (35.71ms.), Talibon Dam in Talibon (27.2 ms.). While on Nov. 12, the Bayongan registered at 46.65 ms., Malinao (151.72ms.), Capayas (35.71 ms.) and Talibon (27.36 ms.).
And on Nov. 18, 2018 monitoring, the actual water elevation of Bayongan was 46.40 ms., Malinao (151.37), Capayas (35.89 ms.), and Talibon (27.51 ms.).
The registered a decrease of the water level of the Malinao Dam happened because the irrigation water was diverted to Bayongan Dam and consequently released to the service areas for land preparation.
However, the Technical Working Group (TWG) on El Niño and La Niña Task Force said that even though the province lately experienced rainfall brought about by Low-Pressure Area and Tropical Depression, Bohol still needs the CSOs so that the water elevations of the four major dams would reach to spill elevations.
Based on the Nov. 21 monitoring after the Tropical Depression Samuel, the actual water elevation of Bayongan was 42.42ms at par with the spill elevation of 52 ms., Malinao at 151.78ms. against 152 ms., Talibon at 27.51 ms. against the 30 ms. spill elevation, except for Capayas Dam where the water level is full at 36.50 ms.
Dr. Pamugas instructed the PAF personnel who accompanied the two pilots in the operations to dispense salt over the seedable clouds in any areas in Bohol and not to be selective only over the watershed areas as long as it would produce artificial rain that pours in the land areas in Bohol to ensure that the Boholano farmers could plant rice, corn and other agricultural products.
The 45-hour CSOs will be conducted in two rounds. The first round ran from Nov. 8, 2018, and supposed to end on Nov. 18; while the second round should have been conducted from Nov. 19 to Nov. 27, 2018. Another set of 42-hour CSOs sponsored mainly by the PGBh is set to start soon. (Atoy Cosap)