By CESAR JOLITO III

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday the province is treating the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation as a serious concern, with a task force already organized to lead the government’s response.

Lacson said the RSSI task force is currently working to determine the most effective strategies to contain and address the growing infestation affecting sugarcane farms across the province.

The governor stressed that one of the top priorities is to closely monitor and accurately identify the full extent of the affected areas, as this will serve as the basis for government interventions and response measures aimed at protecting the province’s sugar industry.

The province formally declared a state of calamity on Tuesday, June 30, after the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

The declaration stemmed from PDRRMC’s Resolution No. 5 which was endorsed by Lacson on June 26.

Board Member Marxlen de la Cruz said the provincial board approved the recommendation after the council cited the outbreak and continuing spread of RSSI in sugarcane plantations across the province.

The state of calamity allows the provincial government to immediately mobilize resources, implement emergency interventions and provide assistance to affected sugarcane farmers while intensifying measures to contain the pest.

Negros Occidental accounted for the largest share, with 14,447.83 hectares of infested sugarcane fields affecting 5,435 farmers in 365 barangays.

The region 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.

Murcia town recorded the highest number of affected farmers, with 605 growers impacted by the infestation./CCJ, WDJ