THE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) wants the creation of a national task force to address pest infestations, declining sugarcane growth, falling production and weather-related threats to the sugar industry.
SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona said the proposed National Task Force for Sugar Pests and Disasters would identify and respond to major industry problems, including the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation and the anticipated severe El Niño.
Based on SRA estimates, RSSI caused a decline of more than 10 percent in domestic sugar production in crop year 2025–2026. The pest is also seen to lead to a further drop in production in crop year 2027–2028.
The task force was proposed at a meeting in Negros Occidental last month attended by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and representatives of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Congress, the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, and the sugar sector.
The DA will chair the body, and the SRA as vice chair. It will lead the preparation, implementation and evaluation of pest and disaster management plans, promote the use of biological control agents, and work with technology providers on advanced monitoring and response tools.
Among other participating agencies are the departments of Social Welfare and Development, Labor and Employment, and the Interior and Local Government, as well as the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Azcona said the agencies could assist affected workers, coordinate with local governments and oversee safety measures. Fire officials would be involved because some RSSI control protocols require the burning of sugarcane trash.
Sugar federations, independent growers’ associations, millers, refiners and labor groups will also be represented. The task force will maintain an online presence through the eGov platform to disseminate information.
Azcona said the SRA and DA finalized a draft order on Sept. 22 and would soon submit it to the Office of the President. They want President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to issue an executive order creating the task force before the yearend.
The task force is urgently needed, although the DA and SRA would continue their pest-control and industry-support programs while awaiting its formal creation, Azcona said.
Chynna Grace Ong