Passi City Declares State of Calamity Over Sugarcane Pest Infestation

Passi City in Iloilo, Philippines, has declared a state of calamity due to a widespread infestation of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) that has affected over 3,300 hectares of sugarcane farms, threatening the livelihoods of more than 8,000 farmers and agricultural workers. An initial report from the Passi City Agriculture Office stated that the affected area spans approximately 3,337.85 hectares. This infestation impacts about 3,126 farmers and 4,929 agricultural workers and laborers whose livelihoods are substantially dependent on sugarcane production, according to City Council Resolution No. 2026-179. The City Council noted that the infestation is "progressive in nature," expanding weekly, and the full extent of crop damage is still being validated and assessed by the City Agriculture Office. The worsening infestation prompted the city government to declare a state of calamity. The resolution was approved during the City Council’s regular session on Aug. 25 and announced by the city government on Sept. 4. The council said the pest had severely affected sugarcane production and the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural workers in the city. Sugarcane is a major source of income in Passi, an agricultural city where thousands of farmers, farm workers, laborers, and others depend directly or indirectly on the industry. The declaration cited Republic Act No. 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which allows a local council to declare a state of calamity upon the recommendation of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and based on a damage assessment and needs analysis. It also cited national guidelines allowing such a declaration when at least 30 percent of livelihoods in the agricultural, business, and industrial sectors are affected, or when there is widespread destruction of crops and other agricultural products. Passi officials said the city was coordinating with the Department of Agriculture, Sugar Regulatory Administration, Iloilo provincial government, and other concerned agencies on monitoring and containment measures. The Passi infestation is part of a rapidly expanding RSSI outbreak that has affected sugar-producing areas in Iloilo and other parts of the country. By August, provincial data showed that 7,021 ha of Iloilo’s 20,749.88 ha of sugarcane plantations had been affected, equivalent to roughly one-third of the province’s sugarcane area. The infestation had been recorded in Passi City and at least 14 municipalities, including Anilao, Balasan, Banate, Batad, Bingawan, Carles, Dingle, Estancia, Lambunao, Pototan, San Dionisio, San Enrique, San Rafael, and Sara. Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. had described the situation as alarming and placed the provincial government’s response in “disaster mode,” with authorities focusing on biosecurity and controls on the movement of planting materials. The infestation has also worsened nationwide, ruining 134,386 ha of sugarcane plantations. /cb