The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Peer Consultation Framework (PCF) exercise held in the Philippines from July 7-11, 2008 is an initiative of the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) to obtain an assessment of the country’s forest policy framework and forest practices from the point of view of ASEAN member countries.

        The ASEAN PCF is a tool for regional cooperation and mutual learning whereby one ASEAN member country’s forestry practice is assessed by other member states. It started when high-ranking forestry officials from the region recognized the benefits of peer mechanism in a seminar held in Paris and Brussels in 2005 entitled “Taking the Lead in Shaping the Global Forestry Policy Agenda” which was sponsored by the ASEAN-German Regional Forestry Program (ReFOP). Upon adoption by the ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry, Brunei volunteered to be the first country to undergo the exercise.

        The PCF fosters mutual trust and respect among the states involved and the outcome of the exercise is not a binding act or a legal judgment by a superior body unlike any judicial proceedings. On the other hand, it paves the way for the creation of knowledge, learning and capacity building.

        In assessing the impact of forestry initiatives towards sustainable forest management as well as country compliance to regional and international commitments, it is envisioned that the findings of the Philippine PCF would help in the formulation of appropriate strategies to further enhance forest management in the country. The exercise would also help in identifying areas for mutual learning, understanding, and cooperation towards sustainable forest management (SFM) among ASEAN member countries.

        Dr. Azmi Mat Akir of Malaysia’s University of Malaya Asia – Europe Institute headed the Philippine PCF assessor team with Mr. Anwar Purwoto, Director, Center for Research and Development of Forest Nature Conservation, Ministry of Forestry, Indonesia and Ms. Puspa Dewi Liman, Deputy Director of Forest Protection and Investigation, MOF, Indonesia as members.

        Dr. Hunter McGill, Mr. Prabanto Wibono of Indonesia, Mr. Tang Hooi Chiew of Malaysia and Ms Daniela Goehler, all Technical Advisers of the ASEAN-German ReFOP provided assistance during the conduct of the exercise. Its Chief Principal Adviser, Dr. Andreas Obser also joined the group during the opening ceremony and stakeholders’ consultation.

        Before coming over to the Philippines, a questionnaire was sent to the country meant to provide the team detailed information on the following areas: policy and legislation, forest resources, institutional aspects, social and economic aspects, environmental aspects, regional and international commitments as well as good practices and lessons learned. Questions in each category in turn match corresponding indicators in the Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting (MAR) Format for Sustainable Forest Management in ASEAN, a forestry audit system that ensures the adoption of internationally accepted standards on SFM.

        To realize the objectives of the exercise and to validate the data provided for in the questionnaire, the team met with government officials, local government units, wood industry members, non government organizations and other forestry stakeholders for consultation and for gathering information on how forestry policies are implemented, institutional concerns addressed, as well as how sustainable forest management practices and law enforcement and governance are promoted. The team also conducted field visits particularly in Gumaca and Lucena, Quezon for further consultation with stakeholders and NGOs to get deeper insights on Philippine forestry.

        During the exit conference, Dr. Azmi remarked that the Philippines has undergone the Peer Consultation Framework exercise from two perspectives – as an assessor country to Brunei and as a country that was recently assessed. Brunei and the Philippines are initially two ASEAN countries that have been subjected to the PCF.

        The assessor team has yet to submit a comprehensive report on the findings but at the outset the team chair reminded one and all that the exercise was not about looking for what is good or bad where the assessed country failed or succeeded, but essentially looking into practices and processes that might be of help to other ASEAN countries.

        As a whole, the PCF assessor team finds the country to have a “very unique way of bringing forest management down (to the grassroots level)” through the Multi-sectoral Forest Protection Committees (MFPCs), a collaborative approach that also involves LGUs, communities and other stakeholders in forest protection. The team cited in particular Quezon Province for its participatory management. It noted however, the potential of local livelihood opportunities in promoting sustainable forest management which have not yet been fully realized.

        While the green light for the conduct of the PCF was decided upon during the 10th ASEAN Senior Officials in Forestry (ASOF) in July 2007, the final report on the findings would not be ready for the forthcoming 11th ASOF meeting on July 31-August 1, 2008 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this case, a plenary after this ASOF meeting to present the Philippine PCF may likely be the course of action, according to the ASEAN-German Regional Forestry Program.

        In reaction to a suggestion given to utilize the findings in paving the way to further discussions with the private sector just like the Brunei experience, FMB Director Romeo T. Acosta gave assurance that findings would definitely lead to a series of more in-depth discussions with stakeholders even as he expressed delight to have contributed vital inputs to the exercise.

        While acknowledging the fact that colleagues in the ASEAN are well-versed in Philippine forestry issues, Director Acosta said that the Philippines is privileged to have presented the bigger picture of the complexities of forestry in this country through the PCF.

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