Armyworms ruin cornfields

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela, Philippines – Even as farmers in this province have yet to recover from crop losses from last year’s dry spell and floods, thousands of hectares of cornfields are now in danger of being wiped out by worm infestation.

The provincial agriculture office said nearly 1,500 hectares of corn farms have already been ruined by armyworms in just a week, especially in the corn-producing towns of Ilagan and Tumauini.

Isabela agriculture officer Danilo Tumamao said Ilagan’s 17 villages are the most affected. – Charlie Lagasca, Raymund Catindig