MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon – The Provincial Government of Bukidnon (PGB) has intensified its campaign against the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) following the directive of Provincial Governor Rogelio Neil P. Roque, chairperson of the RSSI Steering Committee, to enforce stricter surveillance and continuous monitoring of the pest, which has been affecting the province’s sugarcane plantations

Through Executive Order No. 30, Series of 2026, the provincial government established the
RSSI Technical Working Group (TWG), to be led by the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAgrO)
as the lead agency and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) as the co-lead agency. The
TWG has been tasked with conducting regular meetings to ensure efficient coordination and the
effective implementation of strategies against RSSI.
In a statement, the PGB said as the operational arm of the RSSI Steering Committee, the TWG
will lead surveillance, monitoring, validation, reporting, information and education campaigns,
and field response operations, as well as carry out other measures directed by the Executive
Committee to prevent the further spread of the pest.
The Executive Order also created the RSSI Steering Committee, with the Bukidnon Mill District
Development Council serving as Vice Chairperson. The committee includes representatives from
the Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10), the Sugar Regulatory
Administration (SRA), Crystal Sugar Milling Company, Inc., Bukidnon Sugar Milling Company
Corporation (BUSCO), mayors of sugar-producing local government units (LGUs), the
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the Provincial Budget
Office (PBO), and the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAgrO).

These agencies and offices are responsible for formulating policies and providing strategic
direction for the implementation of the RSSI Response Program. They are also mandated to
strengthen coordination and collaboration among participating agencies and LGUs, while
mobilizing the necessary funding, technical assistance, logistical resources, and other support
needed to effectively address the RSSI threat.
RSSI is a sap-sucking pest that primarily attacks sugarcane, causing reduced crop quality and
lower yields. In Bukidnon, it has been identified as one of the most serious threats to the sugar
industry, as the province is among the leading sugarcane producers and a major contributor to the
sugar industry in Northern Mindanao (Region 10).
Through stronger coordination and unified action among the government, the sugar industry, and
local government units, authorities aim to curb the spread of RSSI and protect the sugarcane
industry—one of the key pillars of Bukidnon’s economy. (melbmadera)