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Understanding Termites in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the most common types of termites that invade homes are:

1. Subterranean Termites (Coptotermes spp.): These termites build colonies in the soil and create mud tubes to access above-ground food sources. They are the most destructive and widespread species in the country.
2. Drywood Termites (Cryptotermes spp.): These termites infest dry wood and do not require contact with soil. They are often found in furniture and wooden structures.

Signs of Termite Infestation

Detecting a termite infestation early can save you from extensive damage. Here are some common signs to look for:

1. Mud Tubes: Subterranean termites build mud tubes along walls, foundations, and other surfaces to travel between their colony and food sources.
2. Discarded Wings: Swarmers (reproductive termites) shed their wings after mating. Finding discarded wings near windowsills or entry points is a sign of termite activity.
3. Wood Damage: Hollow-sounding wood, blistering, or damaged wood structures are indicative of termite feeding.
4. Frass (Termite Droppings): Drywood termites leave behind small, pellet-like droppings called frass near their nesting sites.
5. Swarmers: Seeing a swarm of winged termites inside your home is a clear sign of an active infestation.

How to Eliminate Termites

1. Chemical Treatments

Chemical treatments are among the most effective methods for eliminating termites. Here are some common chemical treatments used in the Philippines:

• Liquid Termiticides: These chemicals are applied to the soil around your home to create a barrier that kills termites upon contact. Products like Termidor and Premise are widely used.
• Termite Baits: Bait stations filled with a slow-acting toxin are placed around your home. Termites consume the bait and carry it back to the colony, eventually killing the entire colony.
• Wood Treatments: These include surface sprays, injected sprays, and foams applied directly to the wood to kill and repel termites. Bora-Care is a common product used for this purpose.

2. Natural Remedies

If you prefer a more eco-friendly approach, consider these natural remedies:

• Nematodes: Beneficial nematodes are microscopic worms that feed on termites. Introduce them into the soil around your home to target subterranean termites.
• Borates: Sodium borate, commonly known as borax, can be applied to wood surfaces or mixed with water and sprayed onto affected areas to kill termites.
• Orange Oil: Derived from orange peels, orange oil is toxic to termites and can be injected into infested wood.

3. Physical Barriers and Treatments

Preventing termites from accessing your home is key to long-term control:

• Steel Mesh and Sand Barriers: Installing these physical barriers during construction can prevent termites from entering your home.
• Heat Treatment: Exposing infested wood to high temperatures can effectively kill termites. This method is often used for localized infestations.

4. Professional Extermination Services

For severe infestations or comprehensive protection, hiring a professional pest control service is recommended. Professionals use advanced techniques and have access to more potent treatments to ensure complete termite eradication. At SureSolutions, we offer specialized termite control services, providing expert solutions to protect your home.

Preventing Future Infestations

Eliminating termites is only half the battle. To prevent future infestations, follow these preventive measures:

1. Reduce Moisture: Termites thrive in moist environments. Fix leaks, ensure proper drainage, and use dehumidifiers in damp areas.
2. Remove Food Sources: Store firewood away from your home, remove dead trees and stumps, and keep mulch away from your foundation.
3. Seal Entry Points: Repair cracks in your foundation, seal gaps around utility lines, and ensure windows and doors are properly fitted.
4. Regular Inspections: Schedule annual termite inspections by a professional to catch any signs of activity early.

Conclusion

Dealing with a termite infestation can be daunting, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can protect your home from these destructive pests. Whether you opt for chemical treatments, natural remedies, or professional services, prompt action is crucial. By understanding the signs of infestation, employing effective elimination methods, and taking preventive measures, you can ensure your home remains termite-free for years to come.

Remember, the key to successful termite control is vigilance and early intervention. Don’t wait until the damage is done – take steps today to safeguard your home against termites.

For expert assistance, contact SureSolutions and let our professionals ensure your home stays termite-free. Take action now and protect your home! Contact SureSolutions today for a comprehensive termite inspection and tailored treatment plan. Your home deserves the best protection.

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According to a recent article of the World Health Organization concerning the latest threat of the Zika virus carrying mosquitoes, “Aedes aegypti, the principal mosquito species that transmits Zika, dengue, and chikungunya viruses, has a number of breeding and behavioral quirks that make it extremely difficult to control. Previously successful control programmers were replaced by the space spraying of insecticides during emergencies, a measure with high visibility and political appeal but low impact, unless integrated with other control strategies.”

It is likewise necessary for PCOs to adapt green chemicals and environmentally safe pest control practices to effectively deal with resistance of pests compared to the use of traditional chemicals. Pest resistance is a natural adaptation to chemicals, which is especially true for the Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes which has been responsible for bringing vector borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, chikungunya and most recently causing an outbreak of the Zika virus in some countries. During the 2013 Federation of Asian and Oceania Pest Managers Associations (FAOPMA) convention held in Hong Kong,

Mr. Robert Fryatt, Director of Xenex Associated in UK, a leading strategic thinker in the global pest management industry conducted a talk on the subject of increasing pest resistance due to climate change. Apart from the natural occurrence of pest resistance to chemicals, he specifically discussed that once pests found in tropical climate are now spreading in the frigid lands in the west such as UK, Germany and France. 

Vector borne diseases are likewise spreading rapidly and can be found in other areas not usually prone to such insects and eradicating such cannot easily be done. He also mentioned that there are even species of mosquitoes that “is able to overwinter and establish indigenous colonies” whenever it migrates to one part of the continent to another.   Ignoring this opportunity would let PCO companies deal with increasing warranty complaints, forcing them to invest more in terms of additional application just to ensure pests will be totally eradicated.

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Based on experience of SureSolutions, if before the main concern of clients is the effectivity of treatment, nowadays, prior to engaging the services of pest control companies, customers are asking the question if the chemicals and procedures that are being utilized are environmentally safe and friendly to use. Chemical manufacturers are promoting the use of green labeled products in the market. These chemical have low toxicity rates and along with the proper handling and application practice, are generally safe to people, pests and general environment. Green banded chemicals are considered to be the safest, while other chemical are labeled as include red, orange, yellow and blue and are categorized based on their respective toxicity levels.

The use of chemicals with greater harmful effects to people and the environment are being regulated and safeguarded by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA is also continuous monitoring of the market for the use of banned and restricted pesticides.  Green banded chemicals are considered to be the safest, while other chemical that are labeled as red, orange, yellow and blue are categorized based on their respective toxicity levels.  Chemical manufacturers and distributors such as Leads Environmental Health, Ensystex, Syngenta, Bayer, Jardines and others are promoting the use of green or environment friendly products in the market. SureSolutions is in partnership with these companies that supplies the chemicals that are being used in all pest control programs.

Environmentally friendly chemicals have low toxicity rates and are considered as friendly to the environment. However, the chemicals along will not merit to become environmentally friendly. Is it important that said chemicals are used and applied properly. SureSolutions Pest Control and Disinfection Services regularly conducts trainings and evaluations of its technicians in terms of chemical handling, usage and disposal. The combination of utilizing both environmentally friendly pest control chemicals and proper chemical handling is a must in order to achieve a most ideal pest control treatment. This is one of the important aspects in the operations of SureSolutions to provide the most ideal pest control treatment whether in homes and businesses.

Chemicals would generally be considered as safe if it is registered with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). The said government agency regulates and ensures all chemicals used in households, commercial establishments and institutions are safe through its issuance of Certificate of Product Registration (CPR). Though chemical use is internal to any company, their chemical use can be determined based on their affiliation with any pest control associations because these organizations strictly promote the use of FPA registered chemical products.

 The first question customers would ask regarding pest control is about safety. They will only approve the contract for pest control if convinced that the PCO will use only safe and environmentally friendly chemicals. Gone are the days when customers do not have any choice when it comes to chemicals used in treating the general surroundings. Although there are still chemicals which is less-harmful like those belonging to the yellow or blue band, nowadays the trend is to stick to the green band which are safer to use and more friendly to the environment. Customers would naturally choose the greener alternative so that it might be effectively harmful to unwanted pests, but friendly to their families and pests.

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In terms of the pests involved, Termite Control and GPC are totally distinct from each other. Termite Control would focus on treating termites that causes damage to household and industrial structures, in lay man’s understanding, they “eat materials which are composed of wood”. The proper technical explanation though is that termites eat the cellulose materials which are normally found in wood.  On the other hand, GPC is a treatment against vector carrying pests like flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches and rodents which are causing direct or indirect harm to humans. Mosquito bites causes dengue while presence of fly would attract harmful bacteria to the surroundings, same as with cockroaches and droppings of rodents. Apart from the type of pest, it would likewise vary on chemicals used, equipment utilized as well as technical procedures of treatment.

Behavioral Segmentation Termite Control Service Offer

The emergence of new ways in treating termites has allowed another segmentation offer based on the traditional and non-traditional methods. There are some clients, in particular meticulous ones who do not want to go out of their homes during treatment procedures. Also, their manicured lawns were expensively done hence it must not be disturbed. Clients especially those belonging to the upper class could naturally afford to have a non-traditional approach in their option for termite management. Since this process is merely done through a baiting system, there is no need for voluminous liquid termiticides to be applied in the property. Likewise, the premium price provides the benefits of having their privacy secured because there is no longer a need to conduct the same termite process yearly.

In this particular situation, termite baiting products like Sentricon which is an American brand and Exterra from Australia come in handy. Both respective manufacturers of the said products accredit only a few pest control companies in the country to distribute and use the said brands. The process of using these products is unlike the traditional concept where chemicals are poured on the soil. What is only required of these is to drill holes and place the baits were termites are present. In this situation, chemicals usage is minimized and drilling holes or trenching on the lawns and the surrounding premises is totally avoided.

Having a segmented service offer such as Termite Control and GPC offers a unique technical approach in performing them. This is relevant to SureSolutions Pest Control and Disinfection Services because the investment required per category is different from the other as well as the process done on its treatment. For termite control, it would be more complicated hence would naturally need at least 2-3 manpower compliment who would be bringing in all of the equipment, drilling holes on the pavement or creating trenches on the ground. The equipment itself would need the use of service vehicles which would give additional costs to the company such as gas and allowances. For the General Pest Control on the other hand, it is simpler since what is needed is only a single handheld device which can be operated by one person who can merely conduct the said service and visit the customer by using a motorcycle or even public transport.

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Furthermore, under the law that created FPA, its mandate is to regulate pesticides and pest extermination activities related only to food production and security. With the exemption of licensing authority of the FPA with respect to agricultural fumigators, since this activity is still related to food production, the decision of the Supreme Court did not merely allow MAPECON to continue doing its business without securing the necessary licenses from the FPA or any other government agencies, but it has likewise deregulated the activities of the entire “urban pest control industry”. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still tasked to regulate all chemicals not falling within the jurisdiction of the FPA, hence this includes chemicals for urban pest control use. However, with respect to the actual application or activities being performed by urban pest control operators and applications, this is still not within the purview of any government agency, effectively making the industry deregulated.

With all of these, technically speaking, the Urban Pest Control industry in the Philippines may be considered as an orphaned industry, for not having any government regulations regulation it. Despite this situation, the country’s urban pest control players has organized themselves in various associations to create their own “industry-based approach” in self-regulation. These organizations include Pest Exterminators Association of the Philippines (PEAP) which was established in 1979. Other organizations include, Pest Control Association of the Philippines (PCAP), KAPESTCOPI, SLPMOA, MUPMA, PAPMU, and other federation associations such as the local PFP-MOA and international group FAOPMA or the Federation of Asian and Oceania Pest Managers Associations. SureSolutions Pest Control and Disinfection Services is an active member of the Pest Exterminators Association of the Philippines (PEAP). In the year 2017-2018 SureSolutions has been recognized by PEAP as one of the Ten Outstanding members. For the year 2021, SureSolutions has been given the Excellence Award as one of the most active PEAP members. SureSolutions also is currently serving as a Member of the Board of PEAP. In the international field, SureSolutions has been a constant participant in the FAOPMA-Pest Summit which were held in Thailand in 2017, China in 2018, Korea in 2019 and both virtual in the Philippines in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

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Although it may not be generally consider as overall welcoming, but the presence of Zika virus in the Philippine has allowed PCO’s the opportunity to grow the business since the Department of Health (DOH) is now on guard and is proactive in terms of informing the general public about this latest epidemic. The urban pest control industry can generally contribute to the general welfare by ensuring that it help to deal with dengue and zika virus, while at the same time securing profitability due to an increase in the demand for their services.

Oxytec, a British biotech company that has pioneered in the development of genetically modified male mosquito aimed at dealing with vector diseases by means mating with female mosquito. This particular mosquito is called OX513A and it works by controlling female mosquitoes from breeding off springs. This technologically advanced method of controlling pests is done through an environmentally responsive manner which is an alternative to the use of traditional pesticides.

Likewise, the first anti-dengue vaccine was approved to be commercially released primarily in the Philippines, among other tropic countries in the world experiencing the same problems caused by the dreaded dengue disease. Though generally deadly to people of all ages, the said vaccine will primarily be available to children starting nine (9) years of age and will be effective for adults until age 45. This will have an 80% effectivity rate against four types of dengue viruses.

 These technological developments are not worrying matters for the urban pest control industry but in fact are a greatly welcomed because of its benefits to humanity. Since pests in general are part of the environment, there will still so many of it to exterminate, most especially with respect to

structural pest control against termites.  The business will still continue to prosper along with the help of the abovementioned technological developments that will kill mosquitoes.

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During the Pre-Construction stage, at the onset of building the foundation, it necessary to begin your Soil Termite Treatment program.

Why is there a need to have your home treated against termites during this stage and not during the time when the home is already built? While the fact that Post-construction termite treatment is still feasible based on the programs of SureSolutions, Pre-Construction termite treatment has its benefits, for the reason that during the construction stage, all available soil will be treated properly.

Likewise, it is only during the Pre-Construction stage where we at SureSolutions would be able to install Reticulation System. This is a system of termiticide delivery that can be used for future termite treatments because said system will be imbedded directly into the soil which is normally covered by concrete and tiles.

Soil Treatment or what is popularly termed then as soil poisoning is the process of applying the proper amount of termiticides directly unto the soil of the property that is being constructed.

This process would normally required three phases, first is the foundation soil treatment wherein upon the installation of the posts or footings, termiticide treatment shall be applied prior to concreting. The second process is the application of the termiticides upon placement of all connecting beams, again this shall be done prior to its concreting. Finally the third phase is the direct application of termiticides on the floor slab, prior to the application of concrete.

For obvious reasons, depending on the construction stage, Pre-construction soil treatment or soil poisoning will normally take a longer process as compared to the post-construction treatment. However, this would totally ensure that your structure will be less likely to be damaged by termites in the future.

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 These groups of individuals are considered as such, simply because they do not have any documents or business registrations. Oftentimes, employees of legitimate PCOs during their free time or over the weekend would service their own clients or worse, talk to the existing clients of the PCOs they are working for, and offer the services outside of the contract, obviously for a much lower price or any valuable considerations. The existence of so many pest control practitioners in the market has stiffened the competition allowing for price wars. Usually the so called fly-by-night operators are the ones the perpetrate these price wars because they can offer their services without considering other cost factors associated in a legitimately organized company. Additional discussion regarding this is presented further in this paper.

 As a result of the decision of the Supreme Court in the MAPECON vs. FDA case, the Department of Health through the Bureau of Food and Drugs (now Food and Drugs Administration ) stepped-in by issuing a memorandum for the transitioning of the registration of urban pest chemicals from the FPA to the Department of Health-Bureau of Food and Drugs (DOH-BFAD)  which authority came from PD 881 .  Eventually, R.A. 9711 or the “FDA Act of 2009”  was enacted which states that it shall be the authority in registering hazardous substances or urban pesticides, including pest control establishments.

 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its letter  states that the Center for Cosmetics Regulation and Research (CCRR) of the  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the only regulatory agency in the Philippines as per RA 9711 “The FDA Acts of 2009” which is tasked to regulate the Pest Control Operators (PCO) handling household/urban pesticides. It further states that the issuance of the Administrative Order no. 2014-0038,  was to provide guidelines, rules and regulation on issuance of License  to Operate as Urban Pest Control Operator (UPCO) and training and certificate for  Certified Urban Pesticide Applicators(CUPAs). However, CCRR is currently in the process of amending the guidelines in which all the issues and concerns were taken in to consideration. Thus, the regulation on licensing of pest control operators remains in status quo…”

This move was supported by the Philippine Federation of Pest Management Operators’ Associations, Inc. (PFPMOA, Inc.)  which is an aggregation of groups that is composed of various organizations such as the Philippine Association of Professional Fumigators Inc. (PAPFI), the Pest Control Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Inc., the Pest Exterminators Association of the Philippines (PEAP) Inc., the South Luzon Pest Management Operators’ Association of the Philippines (SL-PMOAP) Inc., the North Central Luzon Pest Management Operators’ Association (NCL-PMOA), Inc. and the Pest Control Association of the Visayas (PCAV) Inc.

However, there are other groups which are composed of entomologists and industry practitioners to whom MAPECON belongs to, that are not in favor of this move by the FDA and PFPMOA. Specifically, they are pointing out that it is the National Committee on Urban Pest Control (NCUP) that should perform the role of accrediting pest control operators and providing for the necessary trainings.    MAPECON through the NCUP claims that the industry is governed not by any government agency, but by the NCUPC which is a non-government organization established for the said matter.  

Apart from pertinent laws  such as the Sanitation Code , Building Code   in place that are related to the practice of urban pest control, still there are various initiatives currently being implemented to regulate the industry. FDA has initiated various public hearings and prepared drafts of its Administrative Order (AO) related to Rules and Regulations Governing the Licensing of Urban Pest Operators, Certification of Urban Pest Applicators and Training of Technicians and Workers, and for Other Purposes. The said AO is meant as a prohibition from selling pest control chemicals over the counter through traditional hardware and DIY shops, particularly those belonging to the red or yellow band. Once this regulation is passed, pest control companies can no longer easily obtain their chemicals from other sources apart from legitimately recognized dealers and distributors who have previously applied for a license with the Food and Drug Administration.

Also, a bill was sponsored by Agham Party list by Representative Palmones  entitled, House Bill Urban Pest Management Act of 2010   with the objective of regulating the pest control industry, which was set for the 1st reading in Congress. Committee deliberations were started and interest groups were invited to the public hearings. However, the Congressional term of the bill’s sponsor has ended and he was never re-elected, and the bill was left hanging in the committee level.  Government regulation is a legitimate exercise of the Police Power of the state in order to safeguard the safety and health of the people. Considering that the industry is involved in urban pesticides, chemical risks exposure is high. Once the industry is regulated, it will provide for an avenue to eliminate, if not reduce significantly “fly-by-night” operators. This will thereby allow the market to proliferate in favor of legitimate and licensed pest control companies.

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