PNoy orders agencies to stop spread of coco pest

By KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA News

Published June 6, 2014 2:01pm

President Benigno Aquino III has signed an order directing appropriate agencies to control the further spread of scale insect infestation in the country's coconut farms.

Aquino, in Executive Order 169 signed June 5, ordered the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and other agencies to formulate and prescribe the treatment of infested coconut trees and other host plants. The treatment may include mechanical, chemical, and biological measures.

"This massive infestation of scale insect poses a very serious threat to the coconut industry and to the livelihood of those who depend thereon," Aquino said.

Aquino said scale insect, or aspidiotus rigidus, has been "tremendously infesting" bearing and non-bearing coconut trees and has "devastated" a significant number of cocount farms in the Southern Tagalog region.

The President said there are also reports of scale insect infestation in other island provinces, even in Mindanao. He said the pests have been attacking other high-value crops such as coffee, cacao, and mangosteen that are cultivated under coconuts or near its plantations.

The EO provides that the said government agencies shall also be in charge of the declaration of infested areas to be under quarantine and the establishment of checkpoints and quarantine stations to prevent the transportation of unprocessed or untreated parts of coconuts, coconut seedlings and other host or vector plants from such areas.

It added that no coconut leaves or fronds, young coconut and other raw or unprocessed or untreated coconut products, coco seedlings, and seedlings of other scale insect host plants shall be transported outside of barangays, municipalities or provinces duly declared under quarantine due to scale insect infestation, unless allowed by the PCA. -NB, GMA News

Tags: pnoy, coconut