Mayor Celso Lobregat Tuesday meets with representatives from different agencies to discuss about the cloud seeding operations set to start in Zamboanga City this week. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

To ensure that measures to mitigate the aggravating effects of the dry spell are implemented, Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday met anew with the city’s power and water stakeholders in City Hall.

This, as the Department of Agriculture, through Lobregat’s request, is set to start in Zamboanga City, several rounds of cloud seeding operations aimed to boost rainfall and to increase water level at the reservoir, this week.

In his opening statement, Mayor Lobregat made it clear that the current situations— rotating blackouts and water rationing— are not exclusive for Zamboanga City alone. “Most parts of the country are experiencing similar dilemma; water sources for energy are drying up due to the dry spell, so does our surface or deep well water,” he stressed.

In the meeting, the power sector was represented by top officials of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco), the National Power Corporation (Napocor), which is responsible for production/generation of electric power, and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), a private company that operates and maintains transmission networks throughout the country.

They maintained that the power supply in Mindanao, not only in Zamboanga City, has worsened because the hydro electric power plants, Agus and Pulangui plants, have reduced their capability due to very low water in flow to the reservoir. Thus, rotating blackouts had to be imposed Mindanao-wide.

Similarly, the Zamboanga City Water District officials said the water supply of its two reservoirs at its Pasonanca Water Treatment Plan has also receded, prompting the utility to impose the water rationing scheme for a month now.

As this developed, Lobregat announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has allocated the amount of P2.7 million for cloud seeding (it hopes to induce rain) in the Zamboanga Peninsula area. However, he said the cloud seeding can only be conducted when there are clouds. Depending on the amount of clouds, the budget could make at least 30 cloud seeding activities for at least one month.

Cloud seeding, a form of weather modification, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances such as salt into the air. The intent is to induce rain to mitigate the dry spell brought about by the so-called El Niño phenomenon, a type of abnormal warming of the surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical part of the pacific that is also known as the southern oscillation.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had said that if the abnormal weather condition continues, it could be very alarming as it would result in severe power and water shortage in the country. (Vic Larato)

The Department of Agriculture in coordination with the City Government will start cloud seeding in Zamboanga this week purposely to induce rain and to minimize effects of the dry spell hitting not only the city but entire country at present.

This, based on the request personally submitted by Mayor Celso Lobregat to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap as an immediate measure to cushion the effects of the El Nino phenomenon.

Teddy Bersabe, leader of the cloud seeding team tasked to undertake the operation in Zamboanga City and other parts of region 9 yesterday said his group will closely coordinate with the local PAG-ASA to ensure that the activity will be successful.

“Clouds could easily dissipate in the manner of wind direction that’s why we’re closely coordination with PAG-ASA,” Bersabe said. He stressed that the operation will use table salt to induce the rain.

He likewise stressed that cloud seeding does not pose any threats to the environment or to public health as what some people think.

“This is one of the interventions we’re doing. We are doing something positive,” Mayor Lobregat said in a meeting he presided with different stakeholders concerned in the cloud seeding activity yesterday in City Hall.

Lobregat invited representatives from the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD), Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), PAG-ASA, the media sector and other agencies concerned.

Should the cloud seeding activities be successful, the ZCWD is set to provide its counterpart funds for the holding of more seeding events.

Based on Lobregat’s request, the DA has allocated almost P3 million for the cloud seeding operations in the city and the region.

During the meeting yesterday, it was revealed that the dry spell is causing damage not only to the agriculture sector but also affects the water and power supply not only in Zamboanga City but other parts of Mindanao and the country as well.

The cloud seeding operations is set to start Thursday, March 4. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat and city and fire officials pose with the Junior Fire Marshalls inducted into office to help in the advocacy to help prevent fire incidences during the opening program for the observcance of Fire Prevention Month Monday morning. Forming as a background is one of the 2 city-acquired fire trucks turned over yesterday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday surprised the Bureau of Fire Protection with the turn over of two new fire trucks, aimed to further improve fire service in the city.

Mayor Lobregat timed the turn over and blessing of the two vehicles during the opening program of the observance of Fire Prevention Month yesterday morning at the Bureau of Fire Protection headquarters in Climaco Avenue, where he was invited to be the guest of honor and speaker.

Lobregat said the city’s support to the Fire Department is ever increasing and ever-growing for he believes that helping improve fire services would mean improving public safety.

Aside from the two fire trucks purchased by the city government, Lobregat also turned over to the Fire department last February 11, a 1,000 water gallon fire vehicle which was allocated by the Department of Interior and Local Government to reciprocate the city’s all out support to public safety.

Other than fire trucks, the city government, also funded the renovation of the Bureau of Fire building in Climaco avenue at a cost of P3.2 million and funded the construction of sub-fire stations in Boalan and Recodo which are set to be inaugurated this week. Two other fire station buildings will rise in Calarian and Sta. Catalina, according to Lobregat.

Lobregat also explained that March is designated as the fire prevention month because it is the hottest month of the year. “This is the time of the year when we are reminded of our duties and responsibilities in help reduce fire incidences”.

BFP Regional Director Sr. Supt Leonardo Prades and City Fire Marshall Col. James Ramirez expressed gratitude to Mayor Lobregat for the continuous support and assistance.

Another highlight in the opening program for the /Fire Prevention Month was the oath taking of the members of the Junior Fire Marshalls who come from the different high schools in the city.

Also present during the program were Councilors Rudy Lim and Luis Biel and council aspirants Percival Ramos and VP Elago. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday challenged the teachers of Don Pablo Lobrenzo Memorial High School (DPLMHS) to appreciate and help promote the good, the best, the positive and the beautiful things about Zamboanga City as he lashed out at his critics for always putting down the many achievements of the city government.

“It is your obligation and responsibility as teachers to bring about the good, the best, the positive and the beautiful things about Zamboanga City because you yourselves know more than anybody else what we have been doing in your school and the entire city,” Lobregat said in his message, keynoting the 16th Dia de Don Pablo yesterday at the DPLMHS gym.

“Change, yes we want, but let us see to it that we will change for the better and not for the worst,” Lobregat stressed in reference to the local opposition’s cry for change. “If it ain’t broken, why fix it?” he added.

Yesterday’s occasion marked the birth of Lobregat’s grandfather, Don Pablo Lorenzo in 1887, after whom the then Zamboanga City High School North was named to what is now known as DPLMHS pursuant to Ordinance No. 154 passed by the City Council on August 30, 1994 and approved by then city mayor, the late Vitaliano D. Agan.

The naming ordinance was in fitting recognition of Lorenzo’s colorful achievements in the service of Zamboangueños and the Filipinos in general, having been the second mayor of the city (1939), Constitutional Assembly delegate, secretary of Public Works and Education and chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), all under the administrations of then President Emilio Quirino and President Diosdado Macapagal.

Lorenzo had five children from the former Luisa Rafols. They were Isabel, Maria Clara - who became the city’s congresswoman, the only woman mayor and Concon delegate - Maria Luisa, Pablo, the only living among his siblings, and Luis.

Leading the commemorative program were Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Norma M. Vecina, officer-in-charge of DPLMHS, designated Assistant School Head Jonathan G. Silao, retired principal Norma Macrohon, teachers and students.

Lobregat was accompanied by his running mate Councilor Cesar Iturralde, re-electionists Rudy Lim, Eddie Saavedra, Nonong Guingona, Lilia Nuño, Rey Candido and Luis Biel together with council aspirants Pipin Pareja, VP Elago and Kaiser Olaso. (Vic Larato)

Mayor Celso Lobregat Monday confers with members of the cloud seeding team that Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap sent to Zamboanga per request of the chief executive to help mitigate the effects of the dry spell. Joining the courtesy call are City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat and DA's Poch Bucoy. (JOEY BAUTISTA) 

The Department of Agriculture has approved Mayor Celso Lobregat’s request for the conduct of cloud seeding activities in Zamboanga and other parts of the region to help boost rainfall and alleviate the plight of local farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

A team from the DA’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) led by the Teddy Bersabe together with City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat paid a courtesy visit on Mayor Lobregat at City Hall yesterday afternoon to talk about the cloud seeding activities set to start Thursday, March 4.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, based on Lobregat’s request, has allocated some P3 million for the conduct of about 70 flying sorties to help induce artificial rain in areas hardest hit by the drought.

As this developed, Mayor Lobregat is set to convene today a meeting with the cloud seeding team and officials and representatives from various agencies such as the Zamboanga City Water District, National Irrigation Administration, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), Department of Agriculture, Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative and other concerned stakeholders to discuss about other details concerning cloud seeding.

Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification whereby salt crystals are released into a cloud with the use of airplanes or helicopters. The particles (salt crystalsz) grow until they are large enough to cause precipitation to form.

Aside from boosting rainfall, cloud seeding methods are also expected to help raise the levels of water reservoirs.

Mayor Lobregat emphasized that cloud seeding is only one of the mitigating measures that the city government is undertaking to help cushion the effects of the dry spell.

The cloud seeding team will be based in Zamboanga to undertake a month long cloud seeding activities. However, this can be extended for a longer period depending on resources.

City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat reported the destruction of 38 hectares of farm fields planted with rice, vegetables and bananas with an estimated damage of P400,000. At least 35 hectares of fishponds in Licomo are also affected.

Palacat said his office has started implementing mitigating measures even before the dry spell hit the city through the conduct of advocacies on how people could mitigate the impact of El Niño.

These include planting of early maturing varieties of crops, quick turn around planting and the planting of vegetables in areas were water is no longer sufficient. To prevent fish kill, Palacat’s office has also introduced numerous methods such as increasing the level of water, paddle wind and other measures to increase the level of oxygen in water.

Zamboanga City last experienced rainfall last January 5 and February 15 but the amount of water produced was not sufficient enough to last for a long time. According to Palacat, the dry spell is expected to last until the end of April.

“This dry spell is experienced in the entire country not only in Zambonanga City,” he added. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Officials and candidates, particularly those from the opposition, seeking elective positions in the May 10 elections would always paint a negative picture of the city to discredit the present administration and to advance their interests.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said this, as he expressed dismay over the penchant of some officials and candidates to put the city into shame as well as destroy people’s confidence in the city just so they can build up bid for the coming elections.

“This is an election year and definitely local politicians will always have to hit the administration and claim that the administration has not done and is not doing anything for the betterment of the city because if my competitors will start saying the good things I have done then they have no reason to even run against the incumbent,” the mayor who is seeking re-election said.

He cited the case of the power crisis that has hit not only the city but entire Mindanao, the whole country and even other parts of the world. The same magnitude of politicking is applied to the city’s peace and order situation,

“It is very disheartening to say Zamboanga is being left behind because of the power crisis and the security situation. If you are an official of the city and if you want to be an official of the city, it is your responsibility to bring about the best, good, positive and the beautiful about Zamboanga,” Mayor Lobregat said in a press conference Friday together with former Sen. Franklin Drilon at the City Hall conference room.

In the case of the power crisis, Lobregat explained that the generating capacity of the different Mindanao power plants is about 2,000 megawatts, out of which 1,039 megawatts or over 50 percent comes from hydro plants which are dependent on the water level in Lake Lanao.

He said 614megawatts come from diesel plants located in Davao, General Santos, Cotabato and Zamboanga’s Western Mindanao Power Corporation plant in Sangali; the power generation is also contributed by the coal plant existing in Cagayan that produces 132 megawatt and the geothermal in Mt. Apo in Kidapawan which contributes 108 megawatts.

“When the water level of Lake Lanao reduces, you will have less and less power generated from hydro,” he said stressing “the estimated peak demand of power is 1,400 mw and now the reliable power is only 1,300 so right off you have a 100 megawatts less.”

And so, he said, as the water in Lake Lanao decreases then the energy crisis becomes more and more evident and that is why Zamboanga City and all other parts of Mindanao are having consistent brownouts.

“It is not because the city government has not planned anything for power, actually the EPIRA law prevents the government from power generation, so how can the government now say it wants to go into power generation,” he asked.

Nevertheless, he said, the city government even before the crisis hit the country has undertaken steps to anticipate any power shortage. The plans include long term, medium term and the short term plans.

As part of the immediate plan, he said, everybody has to find ways and means to manage and conserve energy. “Each one of us is an energy user so we have to find ways to conserve energy.”

One measure which the power stakeholders have agreed during a summit recently is to ask industries and commercial establishments with embedded generators, which are estimated to consume 10-12 megawatts of power, to get off the grid and power their own establishments in order to lessen the power demand, he said.

But there are things to be considered under this plan, as the consumers will have to agree to pay the price difference. This scheme is implemented in Cebu City and some other areas in the country, thus, the idea is being floated here.

As part of the medium and long term plans, the city government long before the crisis, has asked the Department of Energy to undertake a study on the wind and hydro generating capacities of the city. DOE people came but unfortunately the results showed that Zamboanga is not within the wind path and that the city’s rivers and waterfalls can only generate a maximum of 3-4 megawatts of power.

The expected power to be generated from hydro is very minimal as compared to the city’s consumption during peak hours which is 70-80 megawatts but still there are people interested to pursue this plan, he said.

At present, he stressed, there is the proposal from an investor to put up a coal-fired power plant in the city, a proposal that is under study by the local electric cooperative. The city, he emphasized, welcomes investors on power generation for as long as the proposals are environment friendly and offers affordable costs.

“They (opposition) claims no investors would like to come to Zamboanga because of the power situation and peace and order, if you are an official of the city, you are supposed to promote the city, do not put your city in a bad light, do not paint a negative picture of the city when it is not so”, Mayor Lobregat stressed.

In the case of the peace and order situation, he said, Zamboanga like any other city has its own share of peace and order problems.

“But the thing is you have to realize that there is no other city in the Philippines with the convergence of so many influences. We are perhaps the one of the only few cities with the multi-ethnic /multi-culture. Our location is such that we are more or less bordering the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi”, he explained.

The city is also home to major military camps, he said, thus “when you start comparing Zamboanga with other cities and provinces, you have to take into consideration the realities on the ground”.

He said it is ironic that the opposition paint a bad picture of the city and yet residents from other areas and even Cabinet members appreciate and see the things that are being done in the city to improve the peace and order situation and improve the quality of life of the people.

Local Government Secretary Ronnie Puno said he appreciates everything that the city has done for public safety, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the city is doing unprecedented things for education and Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said very good things for the city in such that Zamboanga even saved the Republic from being blacklisted because the first 3 convictions of anti-trafficking law came from Zamboanga City, the mayor stressed.

“So I am proud to be the mayor of a city as dynamic as progressive and as peaceful as Zamboanga City,” Lobregat added. (Sheila Covarrubias)