• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said that he will issue an executive order creating a task force which will focus on addressing the infestation of Negros and Panay sugarcane fields with Red-striped Soft Scale Insects (RSSI).
Lacson said the task force will be composed of representatives of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the provincial government of Negros Occidental.
Regarding the declaration of state of emergency, or urgency, that is recommended by the SRA, he said it needs the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and cannot be done through the issuance of an executive order.
Lacson also said that the present damage caused by the RSSI infestations is not enough to qualify the declaration of state of emergency.
While the SRA has reported that more than 2,900 hectares of sugarcane fields have been hit by RSSI, it estimates that a small percentage of the affected area can be considered severely damaged.
SRA reported that the majority of the affected farms have only mild to moderate infestation levels.
Pablo Luis Azcona, SRA head, said the declaration of state of emergency, or urgency, by the affected local government units will hasten the procurement process for pesticides needed to prevent the spread of RSSI.
Lacson said he will consult with the Provincial Legal Office regarding the matter.
Fifteen million pesos has been earmarked by the Department of Agriculture and SRA for the purchase of pesticides for RSSI.
Lacson also noted that none of the affected LGUs in Negros Occidental have declared a state of emergency, or urgency.
Let them declare first, then the province can support them, he said.
In a session with SRA, he noted that the situation is not yet hopeless.
On Monday, the SRA announced a breakthrough in its fight against RSSI, when it identified two naturally occurring fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, that can effectively combat RSSI.
The fungi are being studied by the SRA as a sustainable, long-term solution, with plans to teach farmers how to propagate it.*
