BACOLOD CITY -- The provincial government of Negros Occidental is establishing emergency measures to control and manage the spread and damage of Aspidiotus Regidus or cocolisap in the province.

The insect pest attaching itself to plant leaves, feeding on sap directly drawn from the plant’s vascular system, has tremendously devastated bearing and non-bearing coconut trees as well as significant number of coconut farms in the province.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order designating the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) as the lead agency to set measures in controling and eradicating the infestation.

The pest has a distinct characteristic of secreting waxy coating for defense which resembles fish scales.

The executive order stated that there were verified reports of scale insect infestation in the province which includes the cities of La Carlota and Bago and municipalities of La Castellana and Murcia.

The pest has also been attacking other high-value crops cultivated under coconuts.

Lacson stressed that this massive infestation of scale insect poses a very serious threat to the coconut industry and to the livelihood of those who depend thereon.

The province has 5,038,723 coconut trees, 2.5 million of which are bearing with a potential income of P18.7 million (copra-based), providing livelihood to some 13,958 coconut farmers and their dependents.

Lacson said that the PCA is the government agency mandated to oversee the development of the coconut industry in all its aspects and ensure that such development redound to the interests of the coconut farmers.

Lacson said the PCA, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA), with the support of the provincial government and local government units (LGUs), shall formulate and prescribe the necessary and appropriate emergency measures  and methodologies in the treatment of infested coconut trees and other host plants, which may include mechanical, chemical, and biological measures, as well as the declaration of infested areas to be under quarantine and the establishment of checkpoints and quarantine stations to prevent the transportation of unprocessed/untreated parts of coconuts, coconut seedlings, and other host/vector plants from such areas.

The executive order said that no coconut leaves/fronds, young coconut and other raw or unprocessed/untreated coconut products, coco seedlings, and seedlings of other scale insect host plants shall be transported outside of barangays, towns, or provinces duly declared under quarantine due to scale insect infestation, except when supported by a permit to transport duly issued by PCA, providing among others that appropriate preventive measures, such as washing and spraying of appropriate chemicals have been instituted.

The PCA shall have the exclusive authority to grant permits to transport for the shipment or movement of coconut planting materials from and to any points of the country.