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WHEREAS, Sama-samang Aksyon ng Gobyerno, Industriya at Pamayanan (SAGIP) estimated that approximately 1,025,061 coconut trees are infested by CSI in some municipalities and cities in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon;

WHEREAS, the Crop Protection Cluster, University of the Philippines at Los Banos (CPC, UPLB) reported the major involvement in the CSI outbreak of an undetermined species of Aspidiotus distinct from the indigenous species Aspidiotus destructor Signoret;

WHEREAS, the coconut industry continues to contribute billion in dollars annually to the Philippine economy and it is critical for the Philippines to maintain or improve its position as the world's second largest producer of coconut and its by-products;

WHEREAS, if the spread of these invasive pests is not regulated and contained, it may virtually wipe out the coconut industry of the whole Southern Tagalog and eventually, of the country;

WHEREAS, joint and concerted official measures are being adopted to check, control and manage the increase and spread of these injurious insect pests, and;

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Plant Industry - Plant Quarantine Service (BPI - PQS) is tasked to implement and enforce the necessary quarantine measures to prevent the spread of these pests to non-infested areas.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CLARITO M. BARRON, pursuant to provisions of PD 1433 also known as the Plant Quarantine Decree of 1978 do hereby promulgate this special quarantine order as follows:

SECTION 1. For the purpose of this Special Quarantine Order, a CSI outbreak of an undetermined Aspidiotus sp. in coconut trees is formally declared in the municipalities of Agoncillo, Balete, Calaca, Laurel, Lemery, Malvar, Mataas na Kahoy, Nasugbu, San Juan, San Luis, San Nicolas, Sto. Tomas and Talisay including the cities of Lipa and Tanauan in the province of Batangas: the municipalities of Alaminos, Bay, Calauan, Cavinti, Kalayaan, Liliw, Los Banos, Luisiana, Magdalena, Majayjay, Nagcarlan, and Rizal as well as the cities of Calamba, San Pablo and Sta. Cruz in the province of Laguna: the municipalities of Alfonso, Amadeo, General Emilio Aguinaldo, lndang, Magallanes and Silang in the province of Cavite, and the municipalities of Dolores, Mauban and Sampaloc in the province of Quezon.

SECTION 2. The movement, transfer, or carrying of coconut seedlings and plants including fronds or other parts of coconut infested by or which is known to harbor CSI from the declared municipalities and cities in the provinces of Batangas Laguna, Cavite and Quezon or from other municipalities of the said provinces which may be infested hereafter to non-infested provinces, is hereby prohibited subject to the provision of Sec. 5 of this Order.

SECTION 3. The movement, transfer, or carrying of coconut seedlings and plants including fronds or other parts of the coconut coming from a municipality/ city declared infested or which may hereafter be declared infested, to another municipality/city whether declared infested or not in the same province, or to any municipality in the abovementioned provinces, is likewise prohibited subject to the provision or Sec. 5 of this Order.

SECTION 4. The movement, transfer or carrying of live coconut seedlings, / planting materials by BPl Centers/Stations or any research facility of government, state universities/colleges for experimental purposes shall be allowed upon approval of the BPI Director or his duly authorized representatives subject to appropriate phytosanitary measures.

SECTION 5. However, the movement, transfer and carrying of seed nuts and fresh young coconuts may be allowed by the BPI Director or his duly authorized representatives provided there is an on-site inspection by a Plant Quarantine Officer (PQO) and/or any BPI deputized personnel of the concerned LGU. Such shipment must be accompanied by a Domestic Permit to Transport (BPI “Q” Form No. 12). This permit should be presented for verification purposes to the duly authorized personnel in all checkpoints where the commodity shall pass.

SECTION 6. In coordination with the PCA, a number of quarantine checkpoints shall he established that will be manned by deputized inspectors from the PCA, BPI, DA Regional Field Office (DA RFO) and Local Government Units (LGUs) including members of the police and military who shall implement and enforce the provisions of this Order.

SECTION 7. All movement, transport or carrying of commodities involved in accordance with Sec. [2] [3] and in contrary to Sec [4] [5] shall not be allowed. Some of the phytosanitary measures to be employed are as follows: return to origin, treatment (if applicable), or disposal. All expenses incurred in the conduct of any of these measures shall be borne by the owner. Non-compliance by the owner to any of these measures shall constitute a violation which shall be punishable under Sec. 11 of this Order.

SECTION 8. The PCA shall provide a notification to the BPI that will serve as the basis for addition to or delisting from those mentioned in Sec. 1 and a justification for the revocation, repeal or amendment of this Order.

SECTION 9. The Director may, when necessary, call upon the support and assistance of other government agencies (military, civil, national or local) in the implementation of plant quarantine regulations and phytosanitary measures provided in this Order.

SECTION 10. All transportation companies operating by land, air and/or water; government and private shall cooperate with the BPI Director and/or the PQO in the implementation of the provisions of this Order by not accepting or allowing shipments that do not have a Domestic Permit to Transport.

SECTION 11. Pursuant to Section 23 of the Plant Quarantine Law of 1978, any person, company of corporation who violates the provisions of this Order shall be fined not more than Twenty Thousand Pesos (PHP 20,000.00) or by imprisonment from prision correccional to prision mayor, or both, at the discretion of the court.

SECTION 12. Any orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with its provisions are hereby superseded and/or revoked accordingly.

SECTION 13. If any of the provisions of this Order shall be held invalid, the remainder shall be operative.

SECTION 14. This Special Quarantine Order shall take effect upon its approval and after appropriate publication.

(SGD) CLARITO M. BARRON, PhD, CESO IV
Director

Approved:

(SGD) PROCESO J. ALCALA
Secretary, Department of Agriculture