Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 23) — The entire province of Basilan has been placed under a state of calamity due to a disease that affects rubber trees, the local government announced Monday.
The declaration of the state of calamity was recommended by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council after it was found that almost 90% of rubber farms in the province were affected by Pestalotiopsis, a fungus that causes leaf fall disease.
According to provincial agriculturist Surhayda Aguisanda, about 16,000 rubber tappers will be affected if the disease continues to spread.
The Philippine Rubber Research Institute declared the onslaught of Pestalotiopsis an epidemic in the province, affecting more than 800 hectares in Isabela, Lamitan and municipality of Tipo-Tipo.
Local authorities said the disease was first observed in the last quarter of 2021 and severe leaf fall was experienced in late 2022.
During the emergency meeting of the Provincial Board last Jan. 19, it was reported that 1,529 hectares were found to be 10% to 100% infected.
The affected areas include Lamitan, Isabela, and the towns of Lantawan, Maluso, Tuburan, Ungkaya Pukan, Sumisip, Akbar and Hadji Mohammad Ajul.
