Filipino rice farmers could avert incurring millions in losses caused by pests, particularly the brown plant hopper (BPH), by planting insect-resistant varieties, according to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, said the BPH wrecked havoc across 18 provinces last year, resulting in P17.87 million worth of damages to the rice sector. Citing PhilRice crop-protection expert Genaro Rillon, farmers should use high-yielding and BPH-resistant varieties, such as PSB Rc2, 10, NSIC Rc 212, 222, 224, 226, 298, 300 and 30, to avoid production losses.