DOWN WITH RSSI. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Sugar Regulatory Administration Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona (3rd and 4th from left) lead a coordination meeting to address the highly destructive red-striped soft scale insect at the provincial capitol session hall in Bacolod City on Tuesday (June 23, 2026). The latest status report showed almost 13,780 hectares of sugarcane farms have been affected in Negros Island. (PNA photo by Nanette Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY – The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is strengthening its partnership with the Negros Occidental provincial government and the local government units (LGUs) in the province to address the worsening red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation.
On Tuesday, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona presented the latest RSSI status report, showing almost 13,780 hectares of sugarcane farms affected in Negros Island, in a meeting with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Board members at the capitol session hall here.
“With the LGUs and the province joining us, the effort would be very strong. Hopefully, we can arrest it. I cannot say how long. It depends on the efforts of the Provincial ASF Task Force organized last year,” Azcona said.
Lacson said the provincial government is looking at maintaining the state of calamity declared following the RSSI outbreak and the severe effects of tropical cyclone Crising in July last year.
“This has not been lifted. I will ask the Provincial Legal Office if there is a need to pass a new resolution declaring a state of calamity for RSSI,” he said.
The SRA status report on RSSI as of June 21 showed that in Negros Occidental, the country’s top sugar-producing province, 12,332 hectares of sugarcane farms have been infested. In Negros Oriental, RSSI has spread to 1,465 hectares.
Across the island, 333 villages are affected, including 227 in Negros Occidental and 56 in Negros Oriental.
SRA cited studies indicating that RSSI may potentially reduce the sugar content of infested canes by up to 50 percent.
United Sugar Producers Federation president Manuel Lamata, who also attended the meeting, said planters are worried about the effects of the massive infestation to their crops.
“What we are seeing now is worse than what we witnessed last year and this needs intervention from all sectors, both government and private. Sugar is the lifeblood of Negros Island and we suspect that RSSI has caused the drop in last year’s production,” he added.
The RSSI Inter-Agency Task Force, chaired by Lacson, have formulated and implemented coordinated policies and strategies against RSSI.
Among these are the implementing guidelines on the issuance of permit to transport sugarcane plants and planting materials; field validation, monitoring, surveillance and technical assistance in affected communities; and provision of pest control insecticide assistance through SRA’s Quick Response to Pest Outbreak Project, distributed to affected areas through the mill district development councils.
Since last year, the SRA has already allocated PHP177.5 million from its corporate funds to support initiatives addressing RSSI infestation.
An additional PHP28.97 million was derived from the Sugar Industry Development Act to support pesticide insecticide assistance, fertilizer assistance, equipment for pesticide application, free beneficial micro-organism fertilizer, and fungus assistance.
In a report of the SRA Research, Development and Extension Program, it said that “sustained collaboration among government agencies, local governments, sugar mills, and farmers will be critical in preventing further spread and safeguarding the country’s sugarcane sector.”
“SRA leaders and collaborating government agencies continue to urge farmers to immediately report suspected RSSI infestations to local agricultural offices and SRA personnel to ensure timely validation and intervention,” it added. (PNA)
