ILOILO — With red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation already ravaging 10,400 hectares of sugarcane farms and affecting about 9,400 farmers, the Iloilo Provincial Government is considering placing the entire province under a state of calamity as the agricultural crisis continues to spread.
Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul Banias said Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. is set to convene the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) as soon as possible to assess whether conditions warrant a provincewide calamity declaration.
The move comes as three local government units — Passi City and the municipalities of Dueñas and San Enrique — have already declared states of calamity due to the RSSI infestation. Anilao is also expected to make a similar declaration.
“Sec Rex offered to extend assistance to our sugarcane farmers whose sugarcane farms are infested by RSSI. Gov. Toto will convene ASAP the PDRRMC for the possible declaration of the Province under a state a calamity as the municipalities /city (Passi City, Dueñas, San Enrique) placed their town under a state of calamity,” Banias said.
Banias issued the statement after Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, accompanied by other agency officials, visited the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on Monday, October 5, and met with Defensor.
During the meeting, Gatchalian offered assistance to sugarcane farmers whose farms have been affected by the pest infestation.
The extent of the damage has continued to grow.
Provincial Agriculture Office acting head Geron Magbanua said that as of September 23, around 10,400 hectares of sugarcane plantations across Iloilo had been affected, involving approximately 9,400 farmers.
“Ang aton total nga na-damaged nga area is mga 10,400 hectares with around 9,400 farmers ang affected kag nagadugang pa sia pero indi na gid tanto kay harvest season na sia,” Magbanua said.
Magbanua acknowledged that a provincewide state of calamity is possible but stressed that the decision would depend on the provincial government’s assessment.
“May posibilidad nga mag-declare si province of Iloilo but siempre tan-awon ta anay, indi ta pagpangunahan ang aton nga provincial government kay siempre may mga assessment. But in terms sang category sa pag-declare sang state of calamity is two or more municipalities nga na-declare but siempre as Provincial Agriculturist indi lang ako ang nagatan-aw kon ma-declare or indi,” he added.
The national government has begun extending financial assistance to farmers affected by the infestation.
On Monday, Gatchalian, together with Disaster Response Management Group Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe and Assistant Secretaries Leo Quintilla and Irene Dumlao, went to Passi City to lead the distribution of financial assistance to 1,163 RSSI-affected sugarcane farmers.
Each beneficiary received P10,325 in cash assistance as part of the national government’s response to help agricultural communities recover from the RSSI infestation crisis in Western Visayas.
