A luxury ingredient with a poverty problem

Last June, my curiosity led me to purchase a raw elemi resin online from Pitogo, Quezon Province. Manila elemi (Philippine elemi) is a rising superstar ingredient in the global fragrance industry because of its refreshing scent profile that is citrus and spicy. The resin is harvested by making careful incisions into the bark of Canarium luzonicum, although it can also be sourced from Canarium ovatum (pili tree). Both species thrive in the Philippines’ tropical forests, particularly in the Bicol region and Quezon province.

Aside from perfumery, elemi is also used in aromatherapy, skincare, and traditional medicine. I bought the raw resin for only P95 for 100 grams. After ordering, the seller messaged to thank me and even surprised me by adding an extra 25 grams at no additional cost. On the same day, I bought a 5-milliliter bottle of elemi essential oil (distilled from a raw elemi resin) for P132, but this time from a different seller, since the former only sells raw resin.

The moment I opened their containers, I understood why this ingredient captivated perfumers worldwide. The fresh scent dispersed through the air immediately in my studio-type condo unit, giving off the notes of lemon, pine, and crushed black pepper. The raw resin was a soft, white, and sticky semisolid mass, while the essential oil was a clear to pale yellow liquid. When rubbed on the skin, the scent of both does not go away instantly after washing.

As an academic pharmacist, I study natural products, including resins and essential oils. During the first year of my master’s degree studies in 2012, I even considered making elemi oil the subject of my thesis and had already drafted a research proposal about it before circumstances led me to pursue another research topic.

Fourteen years later, my question now is: are local farmers truly earning from this ingredient admired by perfumers around the globe?

Even though perfume houses do not often disclose the origin of their natural ingredients, elemi is a recognized note in brands such as Dior, Hermes, YSL, and Giorgio Armani. A humble forest resin from small communities in the Philippines has silently earned a place in the luxury fragrance industry.

Yet there is a contradiction that deserves attention.

Only a little income reaches the hands of many Filipino resin gatherers. According to accounts shared by some local gatherers, raw elemi resin may sell for around P100 per kilogram, even though collecting enough resin often requires several days of tapping and gathering from multiple trees. Whether that resin ends up as an essential oil or luxury product, the local gatherer involved at the very beginning of the chain receives only a small fraction of the final value.

One practical fix is equipping farmer cooperatives with small-scale distillation equipment and proper technical training, so they can turn raw resin into essential oil themselves and keep more of that value at home. Local government units could drive this, working alongside the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Agriculture on grants, equipment support, trainings, and market access.

I’ve seen this pattern before in the case of abaca, the strongest natural fiber in the world, where foreign entities purchase the raw fiber and turn it into medical fabrics, filters, special papers, and other applications that require strength, durability, and water-resistance. Our local farmers barely make a profit, yet much of its economic value is generated outside the country through processing, manufacturing, and branding.

The Philippines should also explore protecting elemi through a Geographical Indication (GI) or a similar certification system, just like the case of mangoes from Guimaras Island. Only recently, Bohol applied for GI protection for its Ubi Kinampay, safeguarding its heritage crop amid the growing worldwide ube craze.

When we hear of Champagne, we think of France. When we hear of Parmigiano Reggiano, we think of Italy. There’s no reason elemi couldn’t mean the Philippines in the same way.

Getting there will not only boost our country’s natural resources. This is also about empowering our local farmers and resin gatherers so they can finally command the prices this resin deserves, benefitting the communities who tended this resource for generations. Traditional harvesting methods will also have reason to survive rather than being slowly forgotten.

It’s time for the Philippines to elevate the people behind elemi. They deserve a fairer share of this prosperity created by one of the country’s most remarkable natural resources.

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Teresa May Bandiola is an academic pharmacist, writer, medical activist, and travel content creator who explores national issues through everyday experiences. She can be reached at bandiolateresamayb@gmail.com.