In the province of Tarlac, Anao is the only sixth-class
municipality and is the smallest in terms of land area and
population. However, these have not prevented Anao from
showcasing excellent environmental, economic and human resource
development programs benefiting 1,963 households in 17 barangays.
Sometime in 1988, the Technology & Livelihood
Research Center (TLRC) discovered that there were at least
72 flowering ylang-ylang trees scattered around the town
of Anao. This led to their recommendation for the development
of the ylang-ylang essential oil extractor project for Anao
as part of the Rural Industrialization Can Happen (RICH)
program.
The ylang-ylang oil’s potential as a dollar
earner convinced the Municipal Government of Anao to venture
into the large-scale propagation of ylang-ylang. In 1990,
the Municipality of Anao became one of the beneficiaries
of Pres. Corazon Aquino’s Program to Refocus Orientation
to the Poor (PRO-POOR). Line agencies and the provincial
government pooled their resources to support the research
and development of the ylang-ylang livelihood program.
The Anao Ylang-ylang Primary Multipurpose Cooperative
(AYPMPC) was formed in August 1998 to serve as the core
group in the overall implementation of the program. Each
year, the municipal government allocates P400,000 from its
20% development fund to strengthen the program. More importantly,
it has enacted an ordinance guaranteeing the community ownership
of the ylang-ylang trees planted along the roads, transferring
of appropriate and viable technology, distribution of free
seedlings, and provision of marketing support.
At present, 17,400 ylang-ylang trees are in bloom
in the municipality. The trees’ powerfully sweet fragrance
purifies the air. Their uniform appearance, a result of
regular maintenance, beautifies the town. Around 170 households
earn P250 to P800 a week just by selling ylang-ylang flowers
to the local government at P50 per kilo.
One kilo of ylang-ylang flowers produces 10-12 ml.
of essential oils that is now registered in the Intellectual
Products Office (IPO). It is used as an important ingredient
for perfumes to spice up products like soaps, shampoos and
body oils. In fact, the local government of Anao has already
launched these products in the market. The fragrance is
now being tested by the International Flavors and Fragrances
in New York while investment opportunity seminars are being
conducted in other municipalities in the province.
