Negros Oriental Governor Manuel L. Sagarbarria has issued Executive Order No. 51, Series of 2026, establishing the Provincial RSSI Containment and Agricultural Recovery Task Force to address the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation affecting local sugarcane plantations.
The order, signed on August 7 and released Monday, comes in response to a state of calamity declared by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to protect the province’s vital sugar industry and agricultural livelihoods.
Sagarbarria serves as chairperson of the new body, supported by Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and Tirso Teves as action officers.
Under the executive order, strict movement controls and biosecurity protocols have been implemented immediately across all affected and at-risk sugarcane areas.
The directive prohibits the transfer, sale, transport, or distribution of sugarcane planting materials from infested or suspected areas without prior inspection and compliance with SRA, Department of Agriculture, and Bureau of Plant Industry standards.
Farm workers, haulers, and planters are instructed to restrict unnecessary movement of cane tops, stalks, and leaves, while all harvesting equipment, tools, and vehicles must undergo thorough cleaning and sanitation before deployment to other fields.
To ensure rapid response and coordination, the executive order mandates a centralized surveillance system managed by the Provincial Agriculture Office.
City and municipal agriculturists, barangay captains, and agricultural extension workers are required to report any suspected or confirmed RSSI sightings within 24 hours of discovery.
Additionally, all sugarcane-producing municipalities and cities within Negros Oriental are directed to organize local RSSI Action Teams within seven days to enforce field sanitation measures, conduct local monitoring, and lead farmer education campaigns.
Reinforcing the emergency response, the provincial government provided pest control chemicals to all Local Government Units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental during a ceremonial turnover Monday.*
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