Manila, Feb. 19 -- Lawmakers were urged to pass a measure that would develop a sustainable agarwood industry to boost farmers' income while ensuring the protection of natural resources and preventing exploitation.

AGRI Party-list Rep. Manoy Wilbert Lee made the call on Wednesday after the Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted a kilogram of smuggled agarwood worth PHP750,000 in an outbound cargo at a warehouse in Pasay City on Jan. 31.

Agarwood, derived from the protected Aquilaria trees, is highly prized for its use in perfumes, incense, and traditional medicine.

"The rampant smuggling of agarwood shows that there is a huge demand for this product. Instead of allowing this illicit trade to flourish, we should focus on developing a legal,...