• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Humanitarian assistance extended by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to farmers and sugar industry workers affected by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation in the Negros Island Region (NIR) and Western Visayas has exceeded P1.1 billion, as the pest outbreak continues to threaten sugarcane production and the livelihoods of farming communities.
The RSSI infestation, which has damaged sugarcane plantations, has caused significant concerns over reduced crop yields and sugar recovery, affecting both farmers and sugar industry workers.
Based on the DSWD progress report as of Nov. 8, humanitarian assistance distributed to affected communities reached P1,122,842,425.
The infestation has affected a total of 285,201 families, or 1,108,131 individuals, across 1,501 barangays in the two regions.
The assistance forms part of the government’s response to help affected households cope with the economic impact of the infestation while efforts continue to address the damage to sugarcane farms.
Meanwhile, the DSWD reported that it still has P4,983,749,847.51 in available relief resources to support ongoing and future humanitarian response efforts.
These resources include P92.5 million in Quick Response Funds (QRF) and nearly P4.9 billion worth of food and non-food items. | GPB
