RSSI damage hits PHP350M; Lacson seeks legal opinion

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will consult his legal team on whether there are legal grounds to declare a state of emergency following the projected PHP350 million in crop damage caused by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI).

Lacson earlier noted that the area affected by the RSSI infestation may not be sufficient to justify a state of emergency declaration.

Local government units (LGUs) impacted by the infestation are also reluctant to make such a declaration, as it may require allocating funds from their local coffers.

Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board Member David Andrew Sanson, who met with Lacson on Friday, told reporters that they are exploring other options, including the issuance of an executive order, by evaluating the financial impact of sugar production losses caused by the RSSI.

Lacson assured he will seek the opinion of the Provincial Legal Office on how to proceed.

Declaring a state of emergency—or urgency—does not necessarily mean that LGUs are obligated to provide funds, Sanson explained.

“We need it to hasten the immediate purchase of pesticides,” he added.

The Department of Agriculture and the SRA have allocated a total of PHP15 million for the procurement of pesticides to combat RSSI.

Sanson also said the SRA is looking into biological alternatives as part of its long-term strategy to prevent the spread of the pest.

He said the agency is currently studying entomopathogenic fungi discovered in Capiz that could potentially eliminate RSSI.

If successful, the fungi could be mass-produced as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution, he added.

Sanson said the SRA projects PHP350 million in revenue losses in sugar production across nearly 3,000 hectares of sugarcane farms affected by RSSI infestations in Negros and Panay as of July 9.

The RSSI, first discovered in Egypt, can reduce sugar content by as much as 50%, posing a serious threat to the country’s sugar sector, he explained.

For 3,000 hectares of sugarcane, the SRA expects an average revenue of PHP700 million.

Based on Egypt’s experience, a 50% decline in sugar production was recorded following an RSSI infestation of the same scale, according to Sanson.

As of this time, the SRA reports that only 237.66 hectares have shown signs of recovery from RSSI infestation.

Sanson said he has asked the provincial government and affected LGUs to declare a state of emergency—or urgency—to facilitate the emergency purchase of pesticides needed to address the infestation.