By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental has been placed under a state of calamity after grappling with agricultural damage brought by Severe Tropical Storm “Crising” and a widespread destructive outbreak of the red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) threatening the sugar industry.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) yesterday approved the declaration through a resolution, unanimously adopted on the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
This allows the provincial government to mobilize emergency resources and implement critical interventions.
The resolution was approved by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Thursday, July 24, and a copy of which was released yesterday.
The state of calamity declaration enables the provincial government to access calamity funds, enforce price control measures on basic goods, and implement immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations in affected local government units (LGUs).
“The simultaneous occurrence of these natural and biological calamities has inflicted massive agricultural losses and disrupted food security, local employment and overall economic stability,” the SP resolution reads.
The southwest monsoon or habagat, enhanced by “Crising,” brought torrential rains that severely affected 21 LGUs in the province last week, leaving extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture, and local livelihoods.
The widespread flooding affected 47,444 families or 178,781 individuals in 184 barangays.
Heavy rains and widespread flooding have resulted in an estimated P44.4 million in damage to agriculture, affecting 1,784 farmers across 1,385 hectares of rice, high-value crops and corn as of Tuesday, July 22, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said.
Rice farmers sustained P28.57 million in losses, followed by corn at P12.17 million, high-value crops at P2.88 million, and livestock and poultry at P865,400, data showed.
Compounding the crisis, RSSI — an invasive sugarcane pest — has infested 2,876 hectares of sugarcane farms, impacting 1,574 farmers in 113 barangays, based on recent data from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
The pest threatens one of Negros Occidental’s most vital economic sectors, raising concerns about food security and long-term economic impacts.
“There is an alarming outbreak of the RSSI, Pulvinaria tenuivalvata, a highly destructive and invasive pest that attacks sugarcane crops, which are vital to the province’s agricultural economy,” part of the resolution reads.
The SRA reported that 237.66 hectares of sugarcane have been recovered from the infestation, which includes 110.91 hectares in Manapla town, 22.25 hectares in Victorias City, 22.52 hectares in Bago City, 26.76 hectares in Murcia town, 38.62 hectares in E.B. Magalona town, and three hectares in Silay City.
Based on studies, the pest can reduce the sugar content of affected crops by as much as 50 percent, resulting in significant production and income losses.
Earlier, the SRA warned that crop damage in sugarcane due to RSSI could reach up to P350 million, prompting calls for the declaration of a state of calamity to enable emergency interventions./CJ, WDJ