LICAB, Nueva Ecija – Christmas has a new scent for the people and guests of this low-lying municipality – Ilang-Ilang.
With some 2,000 Ilang-Ilang trees along major roads here, the air is filled with fragrance even as Catholics are excited of walking along the streets for the “Simbang Gabi”.
Traveling along the provincial road, one would easily smell the scented air with the newly-flowering two-year-old Ilang-Ilang (canangium odoratum genuine) trees on its shoulders. It is an ecological and livelihood approach by the town government under Mayor Willy Domingo.
“Floods would devastate many parts of our town every year and everyone has to take a step to somehow address this problem by planting trees or plants,” said Ariel Antonio, municipal administrator.
At the same time, he said Domingo, who came from a television advertising firm, wanted to create a sort of livelihood project for the residents who are mostly involved in rice production.
“So instead of planting traditional trees, we decided to plant Ilang-Ilang trees which is expected to go widespread to all of our (eleven) barangays,” he said.
Municipal employees and residents initially planted a total of 2,000 Ilang-Ilang saplings along major road networks, Antonio said. The trees also serve as shelters to students walking on their way to schools as well as farmers tilling farmlands, he stressed.
But Antonio said they town government aims to produce essential oil from the flower extract.
For now, passersby can just pick flowers for whatever purpose, whether for personal or vending use.
Antonio said people behind this project look forward into widespread propagation up to acquiring an oil extraction machine through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the commercialization of essential oil.
“Eventually this will be barangay clustered business patterned after Anao, Tarlac,” he said.
Anao, one of the smallest towns in Tarlac, has at least 10,000 Ilang-Ilang trees on public and private lands where essential oil production has been brought in the global market.
Essential oils are usually used in personal care products, reports said.
With some 2,000 Ilang-Ilang trees along major roads here, the air is filled with fragrance even as Catholics are excited of walking along the streets for the “Simbang Gabi”.
Traveling along the provincial road, one would easily smell the scented air with the newly-flowering two-year-old Ilang-Ilang (canangium odoratum genuine) trees on its shoulders. It is an ecological and livelihood approach by the town government under Mayor Willy Domingo.
“Floods would devastate many parts of our town every year and everyone has to take a step to somehow address this problem by planting trees or plants,” said Ariel Antonio, municipal administrator.
At the same time, he said Domingo, who came from a television advertising firm, wanted to create a sort of livelihood project for the residents who are mostly involved in rice production.
“So instead of planting traditional trees, we decided to plant Ilang-Ilang trees which is expected to go widespread to all of our (eleven) barangays,” he said.
Municipal employees and residents initially planted a total of 2,000 Ilang-Ilang saplings along major road networks, Antonio said. The trees also serve as shelters to students walking on their way to schools as well as farmers tilling farmlands, he stressed.
But Antonio said they town government aims to produce essential oil from the flower extract.
For now, passersby can just pick flowers for whatever purpose, whether for personal or vending use.
Antonio said people behind this project look forward into widespread propagation up to acquiring an oil extraction machine through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the commercialization of essential oil.
“Eventually this will be barangay clustered business patterned after Anao, Tarlac,” he said.
Anao, one of the smallest towns in Tarlac, has at least 10,000 Ilang-Ilang trees on public and private lands where essential oil production has been brought in the global market.
Essential oils are usually used in personal care products, reports said.
