Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Oscar G. Garin declared that all the more than 1.6 million coconut trees ravaged by the invasive pest Brontispa longissima (gestro) nationwide are now safe and on track to recovery.

Garin made the declaration at the conclusion of the PCA - Brontispa Control Program In-House Evaluation and Action Planning for 2009-2010 held at the PCA head office in Diliman, Quezon City recently. "We left no coconut tree untreated" Garin concluded of the eradication campaign as he noted that all of the 1,606,460 infested coconuts were already treated as of March, 2009.

Garin commended the Brontispa Action Team (BAT) for a tough accomplishment especially that funding support for the task came in only when the infestation was already prevalent. The team is comprised of PCA field and research personnel, representatives from the Bureau of Plant Industry, local government units and other agencies for a concerted effort which ensured the success of the eradication campaign.

According to the administrator, the PCA through the BAT spearheaded the war on Brontispa by conducting emergency treatment of infected trees using four (4) control methods which are trunk injection, spraying contact insecticide and entomopathogens White Muscardine Fungus & Green Muscardine Fungus, pruning, biological control with earwigs, and transport ban of coco seedlings and ornamental palms to contain the infestation. "Additionally, we have encouraged our farmers to intercrop bananas which naturally harbors earwigs which in turn are the natural predators of Brontispa" he continued.