9,400 Iloilo sugarcane farmers now battling red-striped scale insect

ILOILO CITY – San Enrique has become the second local government unit (LGU) in Iloilo to declare a state of calamity over the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation, as the pest continues to spread across the province’s sugarcane areas.

The declaration comes as the affected area province-wide climbed to 10,434 hectares as of Sept. 18, involving more than 9,400 sugarcane farmers, according to the latest data from the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).

In a local media interview, Acting Provincial Agriculturist Geron Magbanua said San Enrique’s declaration was based on the extent of damage to its sugarcane plantations, with more than 30% of the municipality’s sugarcane area affected by RSSI.

The municipality had 1,428 hectares of affected sugarcane involving 2,228 farmers.

Most of the affected crops are already eight to nine months old and nearing harvest.

San Enrique follows Passi City, which earlier declared a state of calamity after a city assessment found extensive damage to its sugarcane industry.

Under Republic Act 10121, a state of calamity allows an LGU to tap the quick response fund of its local disaster risk reduction and management fund and triggers a price freeze on basic necessities in the affected area.

The latest provincial figures show more than 500 hectares classified as totally damaged and nearly 9,900 hectares partially damaged.

Among more than 20 localities affected, Passi City remains the LGU with the largest affected area at 2,286 hectares, followed by San Enrique, Anilao with 1,393 hectares, Barotac Nuevo with 1,195 hectares, and Dueñas with 1,060 hectares.

The figures represent a sharp increase from July, when the PAO reported about 7,000 hectares affected, roughly 34% of the province’s 20,749.88 hectares of sugarcane plantations.

The provincial government has since intensified field monitoring, data validation, and pest-control measures with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and other industry stakeholders.

The provincial government had already shifted into “disaster mode” in August as the infestation continued to expand.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said authorities needed to act quickly, including establishing protocols and regulating the movement of planting materials from affected areas to limit further spread.

The province, however, is not in panic mode and is not planning to declare a province-wide state of calamity.

Magbanua earlier said the provincial government would first use available regular resources and exhaust measures to assist affected farmers and contain the infestation before considering such a declaration.

A province-wide declaration may be considered if at least three LGUs are placed under a state of calamity, subject to the required assessment and process.

For San Enrique, the declaration provides the municipal government with a mechanism to mobilize available disaster-response resources for affected communities and seek assistance from national government agencies, subject to existing rules.

RSSI, known scientifically as Pulvinaria tenuivalvata, feeds on the sap of sugarcane plants, weakening the crop and potentially causing severe damage when infestation levels become high.

Sugarcane planters have estimated that production could decline by 30% to 50% in heavily affected areas.

The pest was first observed spreading in Iloilo around the third quarter of 2025 and has since expanded to more areas of the province.

The province is currently prioritizing biological control, particularly Metarhizium, a fungus that can infect and kill insect pests.

It is also testing natural enemies such as earwigs and Trichogramma, a parasitic wasp, as part of longer-term pest management.

However, the supply of biological control agents remains a challenge.

Magbanua said production of Metarhizium can take up to 60 days, while current capacity is estimated at about 500 hectares per release.

The DA and the SRA are working to accelerate production, while the province is considering an additional laboratory to expand its capacity.

The province has also used drone-assisted application of biological control agents and foliar fertilizers in affected areas.

With limited options left to recover heavily infested plantations, Magbanua said the province is shifting its focus to protecting the next sugarcane crop from the pest.

He urged farmers whose plantations remain unaffected to stay vigilant, regularly check their sugarcane for early signs of infestation, and coordinate promptly with local agriculture personnel if they detect RSSI.