BACOLOD City – The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is urging local government units (LGUs) in areas severely affected by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSSI) infestation to declare a state of calamity.
SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona raised the alarm following the agency’s latest report showing that the infestation has rapidly expanded from 87 hectares to over 1,505 hectares in less than a month.
The bulk of the damage is concentrated in Negros Occidental, considered the heart of “sugarlandia,” where 1,490 hectares have been affected. The remaining affected areas are in Iloilo, Capiz, and Negros Oriental.
Azcona emphasized that declaring a state of calamity would allow LGUs to expedite the procurement and distribution of pesticides to contain the spread of the pest.
“While this is still a fraction of our total sugarcane fields, the rapid spread is worrisome. I believe the actual data could be even higher, as some farms have started implementing their own remedies without reporting the cases to the SRA,” he noted.
On a more positive note, about 97 hectares have shown signs of recovery, which Azcona considers a promising development.
He urged sugar planters, millers, and farmers to report infestation cases in their areas to the SRA or their respective mill district development councils. This, he said, would provide the agency with a clearer picture of the situation and help in crafting a more effective response.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved a P10-million allocation for pesticide procurement. However, Azcona explained that without accurate and updated data, the SRA cannot fully implement the necessary interventions.
The RSSSI was first detected in Luzon in 2022 and was successfully contained in 2024 through joint efforts by the SRA and the DA. Its sudden appearance in Negros, where 65 percent of the country’s sugar industry is located, is cause for concern.
Azcona has asked the DA and the Bureau of Plant Industry to prohibit the entry of planting materials, whether for commercial or research purposes, into Negros without prior certification from the SRA or the DA.
Meanwhile, SRA Deputy Administrator Atty. Ignacio Santillana stressed the need for an emergency policy to fast-track pesticide procurement and distribution. He cited the strict procurement guidelines of the Commission on Audit as a hurdle in responding quickly to such agricultural emergencies./PN
