ILOILO – Sugarcane farmers, traders and mill operators across Iloilo Province now face stringent quarantine restrictions, mandatory disinfection and tighter government surveillance as authorities move to contain the devastating red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation threatening the province’s sugar industry.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. issued Executive Order No. 143 on Friday, October 16, establishing a province-wide quarantine and biosecurity system following the declaration of a state of calamity over the widespread pest infestation.
The sweeping directive introduces four quarantine classifications, restricts the movement of sugarcane planting materials and farm equipment, and requires farmers to observe strict sanitation protocols to prevent the insect from spreading to unaffected plantations.
It also establishes a provincial task force, mandates weekly pest surveillance and links government rehabilitation assistance to farmers’ compliance with biosecurity requirements.
The measures represent a major escalation in the provincial government’s response to an agricultural emergency that threatens sugarcane production and the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural workers.
FOUR QUARANTINE ZONES
Under the executive order, sugarcane-producing areas will be classified into red, orange, yellow and green zones depending on the severity and extent of infestation.
Red zones, where severe to extreme crop damage affects at least 50 percent of validated sugarcane hectarage, will face the strictest containment measures.
Orange zones cover areas where severe to extreme damage affects 20 to 49 percent of validated hectarage, while yellow zones cover areas where such damage affects less than 20 percent.
Green zones are areas without confirmed infestation or where crop damage remains slight, or below 10 percent.
The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO), in coordination with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), will review the classifications monthly or whenever surveillance findings warrant adjustments.
Movement of seed canes, cane tops, planting materials, farm machinery and hauling equipment will be regulated according to the quarantine classification.
In red zones, the movement of these materials and equipment will require mandatory disinfection, a certificate of disinfection and written clearances from both the PAO and SRA.
Orange zones will require disinfection and certification, while yellow zones will require disinfection, with certificates necessary for materials entering sugar mills.
Disinfection certificates will remain valid for seven days.
All sugar mills in Iloilo must establish disinfection stations at their entry and exit points and require valid certificates before accepting sugarcane materials originating from red, orange and yellow zones.
STRICT FARM BIOSECURITY
Defensor also ordered the mandatory implementation of the HINLO Protocol among farmers, agricultural workers, nursery operators and farm service providers throughout the province.
HINLO stands for Hugas, Id-id, Nû-nô, Libot and Obserba, a five-step biosecurity procedure involving equipment cleaning and disinfection, removal of infested plant materials, treatment of planting materials, application of biological control agents and documentation of field activities.
Farmers must observe the protocol after harvesting, pruning, cleaning, maintenance and other field operations.
Those operating in red and orange zones must also apply approved biological control agents after field activities.
The executive order prioritizes biological pest control over chemical intervention and expressly prohibits the aerial application of chemical pesticides using drones.
However, drone-assisted application of approved biological control agents and foliar fertilizers will be permitted under the province’s pest management program.
Farm owners must provide workers with knapsack sprayers for biological control applications.
Provincial and municipal agriculture offices, meanwhile, must establish lending or subsidy programs for small farmers who cannot afford the equipment.
24-HOUR REPORTING REQUIRED
To strengthen enforcement, Defensor created the Provincial RSSI Task Force, which he will personally chair.
The task force will oversee quarantine enforcement, pest surveillance, containment operations and agricultural recovery initiatives.
The provincial agriculturist will serve as vice chair under normal conditions, while the provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer will serve as co-vice chair during a state of calamity.
Representatives from the SRA, Department of Agriculture, BPI, local government units, sugar mills and farmers’ organizations will participate in the task force.
Each city and municipality must also organize an RSSI Quick Response Team responsible for field inspections, infestation validation and quarantine enforcement.
Municipal agriculture offices are required to conduct weekly surveillance and report newly detected infestations within 24 hours.
The intensified monitoring is intended to allow authorities to identify emerging infestation areas and implement containment measures before the pest spreads further.
AID TIED TO COMPLIANCE
The provincial government is also introducing stricter conditions for farmers seeking rehabilitation assistance.
Under the executive order, farmers affected by RSSI may receive technical assistance, pest management support, rehabilitation services and other government interventions.
However, eligibility for recovery assistance will depend on compliance with the mandatory HINLO Protocol.
Farmers found violating biosecurity requirements will be given 30 days to comply before their eligibility for government assistance is reassessed.
The province will also establish a Provincial Nursery Program to supply certified, pest-free planting materials to farmers rehabilitating damaged plantations.
Replanting in recovering areas will be permitted only with planting materials sourced from registered nurseries and subjected to mandatory biological control treatment.
Farmers whose plantations have been validated as affected by RSSI must also enroll in either the provincial SIGURADO crop insurance program or the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation’s insurance program linked to the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, depending on eligibility.
The insurance requirement is intended to strengthen financial protection for farmers facing crop losses and future agricultural risks.
P35-M NATIONAL INTERVENTION
Funding for the quarantine, containment and rehabilitation measures will come from available provincial agricultural appropriations, disaster risk reduction and management funds, quick response funds and national government assistance, subject to existing regulations.
The executive order also cited a P35-million national government intervention package for Western Visayas covering drone operations, chemical spraying and farmer assistance.
With Iloilo already under a province-wide state of calamity, the new quarantine system places responsibility on farmers, sugar mills and local governments to prevent further infestation while supporting the recovery of damaged sugarcane plantations./PN
