Agriculture BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL – Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona inspected sugarcane fields in Bacolod City on Thursday, as part of intensified efforts to combat red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI)—a pest threatening sugar production on Negros Island.
Secretary Tiu Laurel said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to act swiftly to contain the infestation and prevent it from spreading across the island, the country’s top sugar-producing region.
“We have ongoing pesticide spraying operations. With the support of the SRA and our regional office here, I’m confident we can quickly contain the infestation,” he said.
Administrator Azcona added that SRA researchers have identified a parasite that can naturally control the RSSI population. “But that solution will take time. For now, we must act immediately, so we are using chemical pesticides,” said Azcona, who also serves as SRA’s chief executive officer.
The DA has released P10 million for pesticide procurement to support pest containment efforts. Secretary Tiu Laurel also ordered the Bureau of Plant Industry to trace the origin of planting materials suspected of carrying the pest from Luzon.
“This situation underscores the importance of following quarantine protocols to prevent similar outbreaks,” he emphasized. Looking ahead, Tiu Laurel outlined plans to boost sugar production through expanded irrigation, soil improvement using agricultural lime, and finding sources of higher-yielding planting materials.
“Increasing sugar production will allow us to significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the need for sugar imports,” he said. According to SRA data, the Visayas region accounts for 71 percent of national sugar output, with Negros Island alone contributing 63 percent of that total. Sugar plantations in Panay, Cebu, and Leyte make up the remainder.
