The Municipality of Ilog has declared a State of Calamity and launched a massive spraying operation to combat a severe outbreak of the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI), an invasive pest threatening the town’s sugarcane plantations.
The Ilog Sangguniang Bayan approved a resolution declaring a state of calamity on July 20 following the recommendation from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC), the Municipal Agriculture Office announced on Saturday.
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) revealed that RSSI has infested 30.37 percent of the town’s total sugarcane area—surpassing the economic threshold and requiring immediate government intervention, it said.
RSSI (Pulvinaria tenuivalvata) drains plant sap and promotes the growth of sooty mold, significantly reducing crop vigor, sugar yield, and overall productivity.
Ilog officials led by Mayor John Paulo M. Alvarez warned that the unchecked spread of the pest poses an imminent threat to the municipality’s agricultural economy and the livelihoods of local farmers.
Following the declaration, Alvarez mobilized municipal resources through the Municipal Agriculture Office to execute emergency interventions.
The local government unit (LGU) procured needed supplies, including recommended insecticides, water tanks, drums, water pumps, power sprayers, knapsack sprayers, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Operations began on July 22 in Barangay Balicotoc and on July 23 in Barangay Pinggot.
Agricultural officers will monitor the treated fields over the next two weeks to evaluate efficacy and determine if a second application is required.*
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