AALCPI, URC Agree to Fight RSSI With SRA

The largest independent planter’s group, Asociacion de Agricoltures de la Carlota y Pontevedra, Inc. (AALCPI) and the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) mills in Kabankalan and La Carlota cities gave its firm commitment to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to help in addressing the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) infestation in Negros.

Former SRA Administrator and AALCPI Manager Dave Alba along with URC SURE Managing Director Rene Cabati, URC CAC head Mario Palma, URC Sonedco Christy Azuro and La Carlota Mill District Development Chair (MDDC) Florencio Alonso, sat down with SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and Board Member Ma. Mitzi Mangwag at the SRA Quezon City office and Board Member David Andrew Sanson present online, last Thursday to discuss what cooperation can be arrived at in the fight against RSSI.

“For as long as SRA takes the lead, we in AALCPI, along with our mill partners, are willing to take a unified stand on how best to eradicate, or at best, minimize the effects of RSSI in our mill district,” Alba said.

“We are very happy with the results of SRA’s efforts and assistance with our farmer members in the district, and as a group, we have realized that SRA can only do so much unless the private sector helps government,” Alba said, adding that, “if we are assured that SRA is the lead agency, we in AALCPI, our farmers, our mill partners and our MDDC will all help and contribute in the effort.”

Alonso said they saw the effects of SRA’s interventions in controlling the infestation in our mill district last year and “we remain confident that SRA is the right agency to continue to spearhead these efforts, but this time, we need to expand the scope and involve the farmers, the mill, and more importantly the local government units to make it work.”

URC also signified that they will put in their time, money and effort to help their farmers and being united especially at a time like this is very important.

“We will work together instead of being divisive and we in AALCPI are willing to help extend funding support to programs that will curb RSSI infestation. However, we would like to make it clear that we will only work with the existing task force led by Governor Eugenio Lacson with SRA as the action officer and not any other task force being mulled by other groups,” Alba said.*