Passi, Capiz declare calamity as pest hits sugarcane farms

By Mariela Angella Oladive and Rjay Zuriaga Castor

PASSI CITY, Iloilo — Local governments in Passi City and Capiz province have declared states of calamity as a red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation continues to spread across sugarcane farms in Western Visayas, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and agricultural workers.

In Passi, the infestation has spread to 3,337.85 hectares of sugarcane farms, or about 66 percent of the city’s 5,057.52 hectares of sugarcane land, according to an Aug. 15 assessment by the City Agriculture Office.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod, or city council, unanimously approved Resolution No. 2026-179 on Aug. 25, declaring the calamity upon the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council under its own Resolution No. 03, Series of 2026. The council made the resolution public on Sept. 4.

The infestation has affected about 3,126 farmers and 4,929 agricultural workers and laborers in Passi whose income substantially depends on sugarcane production, the City Agriculture Office reported.

“The City of Passi is an agricultural city where sugarcane production constitutes a significant source of income and livelihood for thousands of farmers, farm workers, agricultural laborers, and other individuals whose economic activities are directly or indirectly dependent upon the sugarcane industry,” the resolution read.

The council described the infestation as widespread and progressive, with affected areas continuing to expand weekly.

“The agricultural assessment indicates that the infestation is increasing on a weekly basis and is progressive in nature,” it said.

The extent of crop damage in Passi remains subject to further validation and assessment by the City Agriculture Office, the resolution added.

Under the declaration, the city government can facilitate the containment and control of the infestation, rehabilitate affected sugarcane areas, and provide technical assistance and agricultural inputs to affected farmers and workers.

It will also support efforts to restore the livelihood and economic capacity of farmers and agricultural workers affected by the agricultural emergency.

The resolution cited Republic Act No. 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which allows a local sanggunian to declare a state of calamity upon the recommendation of its disaster risk reduction and management council and based on a Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis.

It also cited national guidelines that allow such a declaration when at least 30 percent of the means of livelihood in the agricultural, business, or industrial sectors are affected, among other conditions, including widespread destruction of crops and other agricultural products.

Passi City is among eight areas in Iloilo province most affected by RSSI, alongside Dueñas, Badiangan, Dingle, Balasan, Barotac Viejo, Banate, and San Enrique.

The Iloilo provincial government placed the province under “disaster mode” in early August after RSSI affected 7,021 of its 20,749.88 hectares of sugarcane plantations.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the province would regulate the movement of sugarcane planting materials and enforce biosecurity measures based on a zoning map identifying affected areas.

Other Iloilo provincial measures include chemical and biological control, farmer education, and drone-assisted application of biological control agents and foliar fertilizers.

In Capiz, which declared its own state of calamity on Aug. 10 over the same pest, the provincial government has rolled out drone-assisted biological control measures across more than 90 hectares of sugarcane plantations in Pilar town.

The mitigation activity, conducted Sept. 3 in Barangays Sta. Fe, San Nicolas, and Balogo, applied biological and crop protection agents across the affected plantations by drone.

The products used during the demonstration included Thiamethoxam plus Chlorantraniliprole, Neem Oil plus Azadirachtin, and the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae.

RSSI is a sap-sucking pest that attacks sugarcane and can reduce plant productivity. Its honeydew excretion promotes fungal growth on leaves, which can impair photosynthesis and affect crop development, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

First detected in the Philippines in 2022, the pest has since spread to major sugarcane-producing areas nationwide. The SRA has warned that heavy infestations can reduce sugar content by nearly half.

The Department of Agriculture and the SRA have stepped up control measures nationwide, including chemical and biological spraying, drone operations, and financial assistance to affected farmers.

The SRA has allocated PHP 35 million for drone spraying across 25,000 hectares of infested fields nationwide, with plans to expand coverage to 40,000 to 45,000 hectares.