Manila, June 11 -- The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) said Wednesday the coconut scale insect (CSI), also known as "cocolisap," is not a threat to the coconut industry.

The PCA made the assurance despite the 516,962 coconut trees affected by CSI in Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as of May 30.

In a press conference, PCA Administrator Dexter Buted said the affected area only accounts for 0.15 percent of the country's 345 million coconut trees.

"Ito ay napakaliit na bahagi lamang ng kabuuan natin. Kaya maituturing natin na hindi ito isang banta sa pambansang antas (This is just a very small portion of t...