BACOLOD CITY — Stakeholders could not seem to agree on how to tackle the spreading red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation that has affected over 30 percent of Negros Occidental’s sugarcane field.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that the provincial government will not fund or support aerial chemical spraying, opting instead for an exclusively biological, environment friendly approach to combat the infestation.
“We will go green,” said Lacson, citing risks of chemical drift toward residential areas, livestock farms, rice fields, and aquaculture sites located near plantations.
“We will support fungal production. That will be the stand of the province,” he said. The Provincial Biosecurity Task Force will use a newly approved P24.97-million six month budget to conduct genome sequencing of RSSI, mass produce local beneficial fungi, and breed parasitoid wasps and natural predators to suppress the pest.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz noted no complete scientific profile of RSSI yet exists, making research critical.
Fifth District Rep. Dino Yulo has proposed a balanced, science-driven middle path, calling for immediate chemical intervention in heavily infested zones while shifting fully to biological control long term.
“I support a hybrid approach — some areas are already too badly hit and need chemical spraying now, but this is only temporary. Our ultimate goal is to scale up biocontrol because it costs much less for our sugar farmers,” explained Yulo.
He pointed out that interventions must match infestation severity, and urged stakeholders to align on a single unified action plan guided by technical experts.
Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona welcomed the focus on biological solutions — which the agency has advanced since 2023 — but warned that with only three months left before harvest, slower acting natural measures alone may not save standing crops.
Azcona said the SRA has already identified effective local fungi, but production is limited.
The La Granja laboratory in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental currently supplies enough material for only four hectares daily, while biocontrol costs four to five times more than chemicals.
He urged targeted aerial or drone spraying as a temporary fix, noting systemic chemicals used in Davao plantations spare nontarget life, and that SRA provides pesticides free of charge while LGUs cover operations from calamity funds.
The SRA also expressed frustration that it was never consulted on the province’s decision and only learned of the “go green” policy from media.
“Our hands are tied for now,” admitted Azcona, adding he doubts newly purchased power sprayers can cover even a third of the province’s 200,000 hectares of sugarcane lands.
The agency will instead assist receptive local governments, including Negros Oriental.
The stakeholders of the sugar industry also remain divided.
The Confederation of Sugar Producers Association (Confed) initially called for large scale spraying — later aligned with the province, favoring ground applications over aerial methods due to cost and precision concerns.
The United Sugar Producers Federation (Unifed) pushed aerial and drone deployment, citing success in Mindanao, but has since acknowledged environmental risks.
Meanwhile, the sugar workers group National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Nacusip-TUCP) oppose aerial spraying entirely, calling it wasteful and urging direct aid, equipment, and subsidies for farmers instead.
Authorities warn that without swift intervention, Negros Occidental could lose 150,000 metric tons of raw sugar — equivalent to eight percent of the country’s total annual output — threatening tens of thousands of livelihoods.
Talks continue toward a unified response balancing ecological safety and immediate crop protection.