First lady hears sugar industry concerns on pest damage

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — First lady Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos met with sugar industry stakeholders here on Friday, August 14, to listen to concerns over widespread crop destruction caused by red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI).

During the meeting, she assured them that President Marcos will visit the province soon, Negros Occidental Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez said.

“The first lady is concerned, and the Palace is concerned. She wanted to get firsthand accounts of what is going on regarding RSSI—which has become a national concern—so she can relay them to the President,” Benitez said.

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READ: Pest attack in Negros sugar farms worsens

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“She came here to listen, but she also assured us that the President will come soon to address the problem and give commitments,” he added.

Benitez noted that the First Lady wants all relevant sectors involved in finding a solution. Reiterating the need to set aside politics, he emphasized that the main goal is to bring everyone together to find common ground and resolve the issue collectively.

READ: Negros sprays biocontrol fungi on RSSI-hit sugarcane plantations

“The goal is to come up with a unified action plan against RSSI and to lay down commitments from various stakeholders and government agencies,” Benitez said. “I believe there will be a timeline on this soon. There should be developments next week, and we will announce them once the framework and action plan are finalized.”

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The meeting was attended by sugarcane planters, labor representatives, Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Pablo Luis Azcona, Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, and Department of Agriculture Regional Director Jose Albert Barrogo.

While in Bacolod, the first lady also led the distribution of 10-kilogram rice assistance packs to 2,000 senior citizens under the Mula sa Puso Para sa Pamilya program at the STI West Negros University Gym.

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“As a mother, I know the importance of having food on the table,” she said. /cb