BACOLOD CITY, July 8 -- Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has formed a body tasked to formulate and adopt a unified provincial operational plan for the implementation of coordinated interventions against red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) and other biological pests.

Lacson issued the directive dated July 7, creating the Provincial Biosecurity Task Force for Agriculture amid the continuing spread of the RSSI, an invasive sugarcane pest which has reported infestations in 61,242 hectares or 32.18 percent of the total sugarcane areas of the province as of June 30.

On Wednesday, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II released a copy of a 16-week action plan that outlines interventions parallel and complementary to the init...