ILOILO CITY ,Philippines — Damaged rice farms in Iloilo province have already reached more than 2,400 hectares due to rat infestation, but Iloilo Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo clarified the situation has not yet reached alarming stage.
Current report from the Provincial Agriculture Office stated that as of last August 12, rat infestation already affected 31 towns involving 279 barangays.
The ten towns with the most number of affected areas are: Sta. Barbara - 500 hectares, San Joaquin - 429, Cabatuan - 308, Banate - 259, Lemery - 232, Tubungan - 118.10, Batad - 60, Dumangas - 57, Oton - 53, and Anilao 46.
Other towns affected by rat infestation are: San Dionisio, Barotac Nuevo, Tigbauan, Concepcion, Leganes, Alimodian, Barotac Viejo, San Miguel, Pavia, Mina, Zarraga, San Enrique, Ajuy, Passi City, Sara, Balasan, New Lucena, Dingle, Igbaras, Estancia, and Dueñas.
Toledo said his office already sent personnel to conduct field assessment on all affected towns. "So far our men are doing well in addressing the problem and we will check if the application of rodenticides on the farms has a positive effect," he said.
Besides validating the reports of the agricultural technicians, the assessment will also determine the effect of the local government's intervention on the situation, he said, adding that rodenticides were already given to farmers since the report of rat infestation cropped up.
Toledo also sought the help of the farmers and the entire community to prevent the rat infestation from spreading further by conducting rat hunting in their areas. He also encouraged them to practice synchronized planting to avoid attracting rats.
Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr., has directed the PAO to coordinate with the Regional Crop Protection Center of the Department of Agriculture-6 and LGUs concerned for the conduct of massive information dissemination on the control and prevention of rat infestation.