The infestation of Brontispa longissima also known
as the coconut leaf beetle in many barangays of the city is growing and
some areas are already in alarming stage. City Agriculture Service Office
(CASO) technician, Edgar Apas and Juliet Cruz during an actual monitoring
in Brgy Monterico the other day disclosed that almost 60% of the barangays
in the city has Brontispa longissima infestation. The monitoring in Brgy
Monterico the other day had raised the number to 18 compared to what they
reported to Mayor Eric C. Codilla and Coun. Sotrero Pepito last year that
17 Brgys were 80% infested. Presently, the infestation of the disease
to the coconut trees in that barangay is massive that some of the newly
grown coconuts are already dead.
City councilor Sotero Pepito, Committee Chairman on Agriculture
in an interview yesterday confirmed the presence of Brontispa disease
to coconut and palm trees that belong to the same specie. But he said
even if it is already huge he still considered the status as tolerable
knowing that the disease is curable. He said that he has emphasized this
to every interviews that if they noticed something unusual to the coconut
trees they should immediately inform the CASO or his office because “We
have people that could address the problem,” Pepito pointed out.
Pepito for his part said that coconut farmers should
be vigilant enough to monitor the situation of their coconut trees and
not wait for the CASO technicians to conduct monitoring for their coconut
trees to avoid worsen the situation. Coconut industry in the city according
to Councilor Pepito is not as big as rice, corn, and sugar but there are
still lots of people who are dependent to coconut.
The 17 barangays which was reported last year to the
city that has a big infestation of Brontispa longgissima disease were
San Pablo, Dayhagan, Juaton, Concepcion, Cagbuhangin, San Jose, Valencia,
Cabulihan, Catmon, Luna, Dolores, Milagro, Airport, Salvacion, Maticaa,
Don Potenciano Larrazabal, Manlilinao, and the other day Monterico.
Other barangays which CASO had monitored with the presence
of the disease were Leondoni, Mas-in, R.M. Tan, Curva, Margen Liloan,
Libertad, Maticaa, Kadauhan, Green Valley, San Vicente, Sto Nino, Labrador,
Sabang Bao, San Jose to name a few.
Pepito believed that this is the second wave of the infestation
of the disease. Two years ago, the first wave of infestation was noticed
in Sitio Kanmingming, Brgy. Valencia but it was immediately controlled
because it was immediately reported and was acted. He added though, the
Philippine Coconut Authority is tasked to solve this problem. They have
to protect the industry which is there bound but they seem to have slept
on the problem. He further said that the LGU has to act on this problem
because the only agency tasked to monitor and resolved the infestation
problem is doing nothing.
The Brontispa longissima attacks the young leaves in
the crown of the coconut tree. The beetle sucked the nectar of the young
leaves until it dried up and died.
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