Cocolisap, pests that eat the leaves of coconut trees until they die, have been detected in two cities and two towns in Negros Occidental and bio-control measures have been taken to prevent their spread, Dr. Neil Melencion, Philippine Coconut Authority Western Visayas regional manager, said Thursday, August 10.
An estimated 5,000 coconut trees have been infected in Barangay Mailum, Bago City, Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, La Carlota City and La Castellana, he said.
Cocolisap pests that look like fish scales usually thrive during the dry season.
Cocolisap had hit Laguna, Batangas and Zamboanga in the past and almost wiped out the coconut industry, Ramon Uy Sr., RU Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation president, said.
The PCA 6 is working with Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Acting Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola, the concerned local government units, the Central Philippines State University, and the Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation to prevent the spread of the pests, Melencion said.
Dr. Joan Orense, a bio-control expert, brought some predators from the Davao Research Center, and the PCA national office has sent Deputy Administrator Celia Raquepo to supervise the steps to prevent the spread of the cocolisap, he added.
He said they have also set up a mass rearing laboratory for predators with the help of Uy.
They are combating the pests through biological and not chemical means, Melencion said.
He said they will release predators and parasitoids, or bio-control insects, that eat the coconut pests to prevent their spread.
It’s alarming but if addressed properly we will be able to control the pests from spreading in Negros, Uy said.
Bio-control measures are vital to prevent its spread, he said.*