• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has created the Provincial Biosecurity Task Force for Agriculture against Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) and Other Biological Pests amid the rapid infestation in sugarcane farms across the province.
The executive order signed by Lacson on July 7 establishes a coordinated provincial mechanism for the containment, control, management, and rehabilitation of areas affected by RSSI.
Based on the order, around 61,242 hectares or 32.18 percent of the province’s total sugarcane area for crop year 2025-2026 have already been affected by RSSI, with infestations reported in 277 barangays.
The task force will be chaired by Lacson, with Third District Board Member Andrew Montelibano, chairperson of the Provincial Board’s committee on environment, serving as vice chairperson. Executive Assistant IV Colen Ocalinas has been designated as action officer.
The Provincial Biosecurity Task Force for Agriculture will serve as the principal coordinating body for the prevention, surveillance, containment, control, management, and rehabilitation of areas affected by RSSI and other biological pests.
The order also creates four technical working groups – the Implementation Team, Field Inspection and Monitoring Team, Laboratory and Propagation Team, and Research and Development Team.
Among the stakeholders tapped to support the initiative are the Philippine Sugar Research Institute Foundation Inc., Department of Science and Technology, University of St. La Salle, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, Central Philippines State University, State University of Northern Negros, Negros sugar planters associations, and several industry partners.
Under the executive order, the task force is mandated to formulate a Unified Provincial Operational Plan, coordinate interventions among agencies and stakeholders, promote research and biological control measures, and recommend policies to strengthen the province’s response against RSSI and other biological pests.
The executive order also encourages component cities and municipalities to designate local biosecurity focal persons and adopt local response mechanisms to support the province’s campaign against the infestation. | GPB
