DUMAGUETE CITY, July 15 -- The local government of Bais City in Negros Oriental is exploring measures to contain the spread of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), which has infested thousands of hectares of sugarcane fields, Mayor Luigi Marcel Goni said Wednesday.

Goni said the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) declared a state of calamity last week following consultations with officials of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and representatives of the sugar industry.

The infestation continues to spread, but the city government has yet to determine the most effective strategy to curb the pest outbreak, he said.

"We have not yet made a final decision on how to come up with a solution," Goni said.

The mayor emphasized th...