Boracay, Palawan worst hit by coconut pest (27 September 2007)

ILOILO CITY—Two top tourist destinations are suffering the brunt of the coconut pest infestation that threatens the country’s coconut industry.

The coconut leaf beetle (Brontispa longissima) infestation has spread to eight regions and 23 of the country’s 79 provinces but Palawan and Boracay islands are the worst hit, said Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Oscar Garin Sr.

Garin said the beetle had infested 47,000 trees in Palawan and 2,000 trees on the island-resort of Boracay.

Casualty trees
The flat and slender beetle, generally one centimeter long, feeds on the soft tissues of coconut fronds or leaves and eventually kills the tree. It spreads rapidly and attacks other palm and ornamental trees.

Garin said the infestation has affected 145,789 trees in the country as of Sept. 19, resulting in at least P4 million in losses to the copra industry.

“The pest has affected one tree for every 3,500 trees and is spreading at around 15 percent every month,” Garin said in an interview before he gave a briefing on the infestation to members of the Iloilo provincial board.

Quick spread
The areas include Bicol (47,000 trees), Calabarzon (40,000), Northern Mindanao (6,000) and Western Visayas (3,610).

Aside from Boracay in Western Visayas, the beetle has also infected 1,500 trees in Iloilo and 110 trees on Guimaras Island.

Garin said they have controlled the infestation in Calabarzon and Western Visayas but they have difficulty fighting the spread of the pest in Palawan and Bicol.

Signs of the infestation were recorded around five years ago but it has rapidly worsened and spread this year.

Worse this year
Garin said the pest was brought into the country through imported ornamental palms, which were first seen along Roxas Boulevard. It spread later to tourist destinations like Palawan and Boracay where the palms were sold.

“We plan to contain the infestation by the end of the year but this could still spread fast if the treatment could not catch up with the spread of the Brontispa,” said Garin.

Garin said the PCA had doubled its efforts to arrest the spread of the pest.

Expensive battle
The cost of combating the pest is around P10 million at the minimum, he added.
He called on all government officials and coconut growers to inform PCA of any signs of infestation in their respective areas.

An infected tree could be detected by the color of its youngest branch at the center of the tree.
In infected normal coconut trees, young fronds appear brownish while the outer older fronds are usually still green, according to a PCA advisory.