By
OCTOBER 5, 2007
(Special to the Asian Journal)
RP’s Rainmaker on Cloud Nine
IN A tropical country like the Philippines, “There are only two ways that military
drought is a normal occurrence. It can go to Malacañang. One is when you
causes substantial damage on the land’s are promoted to a star rank, the other
ecosystem and agriculture and prompt is when you are given recognition for a
massive food shortages which can harm prestigious award. Not all military officers
the country’s economy. will step in the palace during their
Since 2003, the Philippine Air Force duration of their military service. It is a
has been addressing the problem by very distinct honor for me to be one of
commissioning Capt. Giemel Espino for the few,” Espino said.
cloud-seeding operations. Referred to As they say, when it rains, it pours. Just a
as the country’s lone rainmaker, Espino few days after getting the Lingkod Bayan
flies the only PAF rainmaking aircraft, a award, Espino has also been nominated
47-year old single-engine Cessna LC 210 to this year’s Ten Outstanding Young Men
plane. awards.
“It is not designed for such a purpose, To modernize the Air Force rainmaking
and lacks navigational instruments,” said technology, Espino revealed that he
Espino. plans to send a team to Thailand. They
The country’s squadron commander of want to check out a new technology
the rainmaking unit of the 900th Air Force which can induce rain from a cloudless
Weather Group has been logging in 40 to sky. Discovered by a royal rainmaking
100 flying hours a year to induce rain over team put together by King Bhumibol in
dry farmlands. He admitted that flying 1999 and nicknamed “Super Sandwich,”
itself is risky. However, it is riskier to pilot the technology proved more efficient, as
a light, poorly equipped plane through it increases cloud density at both upper
dark, turbulent clouds to disperse rain- and lower levels simultaneously resulting
inducing salt crystals. corn plantations in Cagayan Valley, sugar in increased amount of rainfall. With a
Despite facing countless dangers from plantations in Western Visayas, and forest minimum of four planes, the technology
flying such an ill-equipped plane for land in Bicol from the creeping dry spell, enables the team to form clouds in the
the past years, Espino has been seeding the commission said. sky, enlarge them, move them into the
clouds simply because “somebody has to “I feel lucky because I got the target area and increase the quantity of
do it.” It’s a necessity for him. “I always award while I’m still alive,” Espino said, rain. The technology has helped ease the
think of the farmers who have children underscoring the hazards of his job. water problem in Thailand.
to feed and send to school,” he said in an “Inside those clouds, there is heavy “We have to obtain this kind of
interview. rain, turbulence, and total darkness. You technology so that if we don’t have
Espino’s unique contribution to the feel like you’re on a boat that is being seedable clouds in the sky, which is not
country has not been unrecognized. shaken violently on all sides. It’s a roller- impossible because of our abnormal
Earlier this week, the Civil Service coaster ride,” he revealed. weather, we still can induce rain,” he said.
Commission, in line with its Honor Aside from the danger of flying into a When not actively making rain, Espino
Awards Program, awarded Espino turbulence, there’s also the nagging fear is busy teaching junior airmen the basics
the prestigious Lingkod Bayan Award that he could slam right into a mountain. of cloud-seeding. A graduate of the PAF
during the Parangal…Pasasalamat 2007 “It is so dark that [there’s no way of ] Flying School and the University of the
conferment rites at the Cultural Center know[ing] if there’s a mountain at the Philippines’ School of Urban and Regional
of the Philippines. Espino was among 24 end of those clouds,” he added. Planning, he is also currently taking up
awardees chosen for their “exceptional Recognition has been conferred to graduate studies in UP.
contributions” that has national impact Espino before. In 2005, Espino was named Being the grandson of former AFP
on the public interest. one of the Ten Outstanding Philippine Chief of Staff Romeo Espino who was the
The commission cited the 37-year- Soldiers (TOPS). President Gloria longest serving chief of staff from 1972 to
old Espino for his bravery in conducting Macapagal-Arroyo recognized Espino and 1981, Giemel has shown that he not only
artificial cloud-seeding operations at the 9 other soldiers for their exemplary career has the genes, but he has the exemplary
height of the dry spell brought about achievements, gallantry, operational intelligence, skills, determination and
by the El Niño weather phenomenon in efficiency and general contributions to qualifications of a Presidential awardee.
previous years. By inducing rain, Espino the armed forces. As long as he’s serving in the PAF, our
helped the government save P151.7 After getting the TOPS award, Giemel kababayans are assured that things will
million worth of crops, vast tracts of said he was “speechless”. be right as rain. (AJ)
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