Passi City Declares State of Calamity Over Sugarcane Pest Infestation

Passi City in Iloilo province was placed under a state of calamity on Friday as the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation continued to spread, making it the latest area to take the measure as the pest threatens sugarcane plantations across major producing areas of the country. Passi City joins Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental provinces, Bais City and Bacolod City in Negros and Capiz province, which have also declared states of calamity over the RSSI infestation. The declaration was made through City Council Resolution No. 2026-179 because of what the city government described as the “widespread and progressive infestation” of the pest and its impact on the local sugarcane industry and affected farmers. The city government said it was coordinating with the Department of Agriculture, Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Iloilo provincial government and other concerned agencies to strengthen monitoring and containment measures. READ: Sugarcane pest attack widens; Negros worst hit It also said it was committed to assisting affected farmers and protecting the city’s sugarcane industry. The declaration came as the SRA reported that the infestation had expanded dramatically nationwide. As of Tuesday, some 134,386.10 hectares (ha) of sugarcane plantations nationwide had been reported affected by RSSI, equivalent to about 32 percent of the country’s sugarcane areas, according to records obtained by the Inquirer. This represented an increase of about 40,000 ha in just a month. Outside Negros Island, 16,890.74 ha of sugarcane plantations in other parts of Western Visayas were reported infested. Negros Occidental remained the country’s worst-hit province, with 95,140.92 ha affected, while Negros Oriental had 19,444 ha. Together, the two provinces accounted for about 85 percent of the country’s reported RSSI-infested sugarcane areas. The SRA has warned that the approaching dry spell and the movement of sugarcane planting materials could accelerate the spread of the pest. RSSI damages sugarcane by sucking sap from the plant and promoting the growth of black sooty mold. If uncontrolled, an infestation could reduce the sugar content of affected cane by as much as 50 percent, according to the SRA. The pest problem had already been spreading in Iloilo months before Passi City’s calamity declaration. In July, infestations were reported in Anilao, Dingle, Passi City, and northern Iloilo. /cb