By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental was officially under a state of calamity following the continued spread of the red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI), while neighboring Negros Oriental is set to declare the same as authorities intensify efforts to protect the sugar industry.
The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) yesterday approved a province-wide state of calamity following the recommendation made by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) in its Resolution No. 5, which was endorsed by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on June 26.
The SP cited the outbreak and continuing spread of RSSI in sugarcane plantations across the province.
The calamity state will allow the provincial government to immediately mobilize resources, implement emergency interventions, and provide assistance to affected sugarcane farmers.
Meanwhile, Negros Oriental Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria announced yesterday afternoon that he will seek the declaration of a province-wide state of calamity following extensive damage to sugarcane plantations caused by the RSSI infestation.
Sagarbarria said the proposal will first undergo the required process through its PDRRMC before being endorsed to the Negros Oriental SP for deliberation and approval, similar to the process undertaken in Negros Occidental.
The governor said the proposed declaration would enable the provincial government to mobilize resources more quickly for affected farmers once approved.
He also announced plans to create a dedicated task force to lead pest containment and crop recovery efforts.
Negros Oriental has earmarked P15 million for immediate interventions, while Sagarbarria said Mabinay and Bayawan City are also expected to pursue separate state of calamity declarations due to the infestation.
Data presented by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) during a stakeholders’ forum showed RSSI infested 16,019.16 hectares of sugarcane across the Negros Island Region (NIR) as of June 26.
Negros Occidental accounted for the largest share, with 14,447.83 hectares of infested sugarcane fields affecting 5,435 farmers in 365 barangays, while Negros Oriental recorded 1,571.33 hectares.
NIR has a total sugarcane area of 239,215.63 hectares, with 76,632.03 hectares, or 32.03 percent, identified as threatened by the pest, although many areas remain under field validation.
The SRA also reported that in central and northern Negros Occidental, 30,382 hectares of the 99,590 hectares planted with sugarcane have been affected, impacting 2,534 validated farmers across 233 barangays.
In southern Negros Occidental, 30,860 hectares of the 90,723 hectares of planted sugarcane land have been affected, with 2,901 validated farmers from 132 barangays impacted by the infestation.
Among all local government units, Murcia has recorded the highest number of affected farmers, with 605 growers impacted by the infestation.
Authorities continue field validation, monitoring and coordinated response efforts to contain the spread of RSSI and minimize further losses to NIR’s sugar industry./CCJ, WDJ