Iloilo eyes province-wide state of calamity declaration due to sugarcane pest infestation

The Iloilo Provincial Government is seeking a province-wide declaration of a state of calamity over the damage caused by the Red Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) infestation in sugarcane areas.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said during a press conference Wednesday, Oct. 7, that the province has met the guidelines for the declaration following similar actions taken by three local government units.

Passi City, San Enrique and Dueñas have each declared a state of calamity due to the pest infestation.

Defensor said the proposed province-wide declaration will still require approval from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, with the provincial government targeting its passage within the week.

The latest assessment showed that more than 10,000 hectares across 27 LGUs have been affected by the infestation, impacting more than 9,500 farmers.

Data from the Provincial Agriculture Office placed production losses in Iloilo’s sugarcane industry at more than P1.1 billion due to the RSSI infestation.

RSSI primarily attacks sugarcane but may also spread to corn, coconut and other crops, according to agricultural authorities.IMT