By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) called on the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the Department of Agriculture Region 6 to stop the widespread insect infestation of coconut plantations in the country.
It approved a resolution urging the said agencies to implement measures in strict compliance with President Benigno Aquino III’s Executive Order (EO) 169.
SP member Emmanuel Soviet Russia Dela Cruz authored the resolution.
Aklan has 46,000 hectares of coconut plantations, with an annual copra production of 36,163 metric tons from 4,627,386 coconut trees.
Still reeling from the devastation caused by super typhoon “Yolanda,” it is a priority recipient of coconut seedlings from the government as part of the rehabilitation of damaged coconut plantations in storm-hit areas.
Dela Cruz said coconut plantations in Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon have been infested by the airborne insect Aspiodotus rigidus.
When the coconut infestation was first reported in 2010, more than 15,000 coconut trees were already affected, with their leaves turning dry and yellowish, and the water inside the nuts sour.
By June 2011, the insects infested 11,000 more trees. In Calabarzon region alone this year, the number of affected trees reached 970,000
This is alarming, according to Dela Cruz, considering how vulnerable the coconut industry in the province is.
“We have to take precautionary steps to control the invasive insects that threaten nonbearing and bearing coconut trees,” he said.
Aspiodotus rigidus originated from Mindanao, researchers from the University of the Philippines–Los Baños have found out.
The insects found in Batangas were similar to those whose infestation was first reported in Sangi Island, Indonesia.
In EO 169, which President Aquino signed on June 5 this year, PCA was designated as lead agency in implementing emergency control measures against the infestation.
The PCA was also mandated to identify the infested areas and coordinate efforts to treat the infected coconut trees.
It shall also formulate cost-effective quarantine measures to prevent the transport of any part of infected coconut trees, the order said. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
