BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental provincial government on Wednesday began deploying its mobile sprayer to apply the biological fungus Metarhizium against the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI), marking the start of field operations to contain the pest infestation threatening the province’s sugar industry.
In a social media post on July 22, Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II announced that the provincial government, led by Gov. Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson, would commence the biological control operation, subject to favorable weather conditions.
“Team Negros Occidental Provincial Government, led by Gov. Bong Lacson, will deploy our mobile sprayer today. We pray for favorable weather, with no rain, so we can spray Metarhizium this afternoon,” Diaz said.
He said the initial deployment will prioritize sugarcane farms owned by Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs), as well as farms of growers who submitted monitoring forms or reported RSSI infestations through the Provincial Biosecurity Task Force’s official Facebook and Messenger platforms.
Diaz noted that the field operation comes 15 days after Lacson issued Executive Order No. 26-12 creating the Provincial Biosecurity Task Force and outlining the province’s science-based strategy to combat the spread of the invasive pest.
The deployment underscores the provincial government’s commitment to providing immediate assistance and science-based interventions to affected sugarcane farmers.
Lacson earlier stressed the importance of protecting the sugar industry, describing it as the backbone of Negros Occidental’s economy.
To strengthen the province’s response, the governor approved a P24.97-million budget for the Provincial Biosecurity Task Force.
The P24,968,575.56 allocation will fund the task force’s operations, including field monitoring, laboratory testing, scientific research, and biological control measures aimed at containing the infestation and preventing its further spread.
Provincial officials said the funding reflects the government’s commitment to implementing a coordinated, science-based response to protect Negros Occidental’s sugar industry from the growing threat posed by the RSSI./PN
