If you don't treat the plant for root mealy bugs it's definitely going to die. What do you have in the way of insecticides? You must cover the plant with it and drench the medium, every seven days or so for at least three times. Phals don't have rhyzomes, but they do have a central stem.

And if you use the skewer method, how wet is the skewer before you water again? It should be just barely damp.