Tanza, Cavite – March 01, 2025 — Today marks a pivotal moment for the Philippine agarwood industry as Aetherial Natural Oils Corp (ANOC), in partnership with De La Salle University (DLSU), begins the field implementation of breakthrough inoculation technology for Aquilaria malaccensis trees.
This initiative signifies the country’s first coordinated deployment of university-developed resin induction protocols, aimed at increasing the efficiency and sustainability of agarwood production. The inoculation process officially commenced on select trees at ANOC’s plantation site in Tanza, Cavite, using a formulation refined by DLSU’s research team after years of laboratory and field validation.
“This is a defining step not just for our company, but for the entire industry,” said Mr. Manuelito R. Putong, Technical Consultant at ANOC and President of the Agarwood Growers Association of the Philippines (AGAP). “We are translating science into sustainable economic impact.”
The advanced inoculant technology—designed to safely stimulate resin formation in cultivated Aquilaria trees—positions the Philippines as a growing leader in ethical, plantation-based agarwood production. It is expected to shorten resin formation timelines, minimize tree damage, and produce high-value agarwood chips and oil for export and perfumery applications.
Aetherial Natural Oils Corp, a vertically integrated player in the Philippine fragrance sector, will continue to work closely with DLSU, AGAP, and regulatory bodies such as DENR-BMB and CITES to ensure full compliance and scientific integrity.
This milestone serves as a model of public-private-academic collaboration, with the shared goal of building a globally competitive, environmentally responsible agarwood value chain in the Philippines.
Photo courtesy of Laurenti E. Putong.