Negros Occidental under state of calamity due to Crising, RSSI

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — The entire province of Negros Occidental has been placed under a state of calamity following the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Crising and the outbreak of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) affecting sugarcane plantations.

The Provincial Board passed the resolution on July 24, 2025, which was approved by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, with a copy released the following day.

The resolution stated that Negros Occidental experienced heavy rainfall from the enhanced monsoon, causing severe property damage, family displacement, and livelihood disruption in 21 local government units (LGUs), affecting 184 barangays and 35,312 families, with extensive losses in agriculture, infrastructure, and the local economy.

It also noted a simultaneous outbreak of the red-striped soft scale insect (Pulvinaria tenuivalvata), an invasive pest threatening sugarcane crops critical to the province’s economy.

The RSSI infestation has affected 2,876.28 hectares of sugarcane farms, impacting 1,574 farmers across 113 barangays in the province.

The resolution said the combined effects of the storm and pest outbreak have triggered massive agricultural losses, endangering food security, employment, and economic stability in the region.

“The declaration of a state of calamity is imperative to enable the immediate release of emergency funds, stabilize prices of basic goods, and facilitate swift rescue, relief, recovery, and rehabilitation interventions,” the resolution stated.

It emphasized that Sections 16 and 465 of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, empower LGUs to adopt measures to ensure the general welfare and act decisively in disaster situations.

The province met the criteria for a state of calamity declaration under NDRRMC Memorandum No. 60, series of 2019, titled “Revised Guidelines for the Declaration of a State of Calamity.”

The declaration allows LGUs to tap their calamity funds to provide immediate aid to affected communities and support rescue and recovery efforts of the provincial government.

A price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities will be imposed across Negros Occidental to prevent hoarding and predatory pricing.

Funds may also be programmed or reprogrammed for the repair and upgrading of public infrastructure and facilities.

Alternative modes of procurement may be used for emergency goods, services, or works needed to respond to or recover from disasters, in accordance with Republic Act No. 12009.

Earlier, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that Crising and the southwest monsoon caused an estimated PHP45.55 million in agricultural damage in the province as of July 23.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) estimated RSSI-related damage to sugar production at PHP350 million.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona on Friday thanked Gov. Lacson, Vice Gov. Joben Alonso, and the Provincial Board for recognizing the urgent threat facing the sugar industry, not only from Typhoon Crising’s damage but also the RSSI infestation.

He said he has ordered a reassessment of infested fields to determine whether the storm reduced RSSI populations and to proceed with field testing of organic fungal solutions for long-term pest control.

Azcona said the declaration will enable the SRA to fast-track pesticide procurement as an initial defense, based on research from the National Crop Protection Center of the University of the Philippines.

“We can now move forward to utilize the PHP10 million assistance from the Department of Agriculture so our farmers, especially the small ones, can start working on their fields and make sure that their canes can recover or are protected from RSSI,” he said.