ILOILO — A rapidly spreading infestation of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) has already damaged 7,021 hectares of sugarcane plantations across Iloilo Province, prompting the provincial government to consider imposing African swine fever (ASF)-style quarantine and movement restrictions to prevent the destructive pest from reaching more farms.
Based on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) report as of July 20, 2026, the infestation has affected nearly one-third of Iloilo’s 20,749.88 hectares of sugarcane plantations covering 24 municipalities and Passi City.
The worst-hit areas are Passi City (2,275 hectares), San Enrique (1,100 hectares) and Anilao (930 hectares), followed by Banate (490 hectares), Barotac Nuevo (375 hectares), Dueñas (320 hectares), Dingle (280 hectares), Janiuay (228 hectares), Barotac Viejo (215 hectares), Calinog (175 hectares), Carles (130 hectares), San Rafael (80 hectares), Batad (75 hectares), Estancia (70 hectares), Balasan (65 hectares), Pototan (55 hectares), Sara (42 hectares), Concepcion (28 hectares), San Dionisio (25 hectares), Bingawan (25 hectares), Lambunao (17 hectares), Badiangan (10 hectares), Dumangas (10 hectares), and New Lucena (one hectare).
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the province is considering adopting containment measures similar to those implemented during the ASF outbreak, including mapping affected areas and restricting the movement of potentially contaminated materials.
He was scheduled to meet with officials from the Provincial Agriculture Office, the SRA, and industry stakeholders to determine the full extent of the infestation and finalize preventive protocols.
Defensor also noted that aerial pesticide application using drones is not a practical solution because the insects are difficult to reach within dense sugarcane fields.
Officer-in-Charge Provincial Agriculturist Geron Magbanua said one of the priority measures is to isolate infested areas to prevent the pest from spreading further through people, clothing, vehicles and sugarcane planting materials.
“Daw tigi sia, so need naton to control sang movement. Dira kita naga-focus kay amo na ang nagalapta sa aton,” Magbanua said.
Magbanua added that all 33 Iloilo municipalities with sugarcane plantations have already been briefed by the SRA on the appropriate response once RSSI is detected.
The provincial government is likewise studying the protocols adopted by Negros Occidental, the first province in the country hit by the pest, to determine which measures can be replicated in Iloilo.
“Aton ginatan-aw kon ano applicable nga protocols diri sa aton,” Magbanua said./PN
