Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 25) — The Basilan agriculture office on Wednesday said almost 100% of the 50,000 hectares of rubber trees in the province have been infected by Pestalotiopsis, a fungus that causes the leaf fall disease.
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“Halos lahat po. Kung makikita mo sa drone shots, talagang kalbo na siya, kakaunti na lang ‘yung talagang natitira,” Surhayda Aguisanda, officer-in charge of the Basilan provincial agriculture office, told CNN Philippines’ New Day.
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[Translation: Almost all the trees are affected. You can see in the drone shots, they are already bald, only few are left.]
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On Monday, the local government of Basilan announced that the entire province has been placed under a state of calamity due to the leaf fall disease.
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The Philippine Rubber Research Institute has also declared the onslaught of Pestalotiopsis as an epidemic in the province.
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Affected areas include Isabela City, Lamitan City, Tipo-tipo, Lantawan, Maluso, Sumisip, Ungkayapupakn, Tuburan, Akbar, Hadji Mohammad Ajul and Al-Barka, Aguisanda said.
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She also noted that 12,600 rubber tree growers in Basilan are at risk due to the leaf fall disease, which is airborne.
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