MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — A P9.3-million project will fund the installation of
automated weather stations in nine local government units in Bukidnon, providing farmers and
local authorities with real-time weather and crop data to improve agricultural planning and
prepare for climate-related risks.

The project was formally launched during a ceremonial fund turnover on August 17 in
Malaybalay City, with funding coming from the Provincial Government of Bukidnon, the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the nine participating local governments.
In a statement, Provincial Gov. Rogelio Neil P. Roque said the project would provide farmers,
local governments and other stakeholders with timely and reliable data to support better planning
and decision-making.
“Through this project, we are taking a significant step toward equipping our farmers, local
government units, and other stakeholders with timely and reliable information to support better
planning and decision making,” Roque said.
The automated weather stations will be established under Project SARAI, or Smarter
Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines — Centralized National
Hubs for Regional Operations (CENTRO) Northern Mindanao.
The initiative seeks to promote science-based crop technologies and farming practices while
helping agricultural communities anticipate changing weather patterns and minimize potential
crop damage.
DOST Regional Director Dr. Mark Lemuel L. Garcia said the project demonstrates the
importance of partnerships in building climate resilience.
“These initiatives remind us that resilience is not built by one institution alone. It is built through
partnerships,” Garcia said.
The weather stations will be installed in Impasug-ong, Kitaotao, Malaybalay City, Kalilangan,
Maramag, Talakag, Quezon, Kadingilan and Lantapan. Each station is expected to cover a radius
of about 20 kilometers, potentially reaching neighboring localities.

Through the Community-Level SARAI-Enhanced Agricultural Monitoring System, or CL-
SEAMS, the participating city and municipal agriculture offices will receive real-time, site-
specific information for crop monitoring and damage assessment.
Of the P9.2974 million allocated for the project, 29 percent will come from the Provincial
Government of Bukidnon, 11 percent from DOST-Community Empowerment through Science
and Technology, 17 percent from DOST Northern Mindanao-SARAI and 43 percent from the
nine participating LGUs.
Officials said the investment is expected to strengthen data-driven agricultural planning and help
farmers make more informed decisions as weather and climate conditions become increasingly
unpredictable. (melbmadera)