The Philippines, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Forest Management Bureau (DENR-FMB), successfully hosted the 19th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF) on 7 May 2025. Held virtually, the meeting brought together delegates from all ASEAN Member States, development partners, and key regional stakeholders to share national progress, discuss common challenges, and shape collaborative action on social forestry. The Philippines officially assumed the chairmanship of AWG-SF, succeeding Myanmar.

In his opening message, Atty. Ray Thomas Kabigting, Assistant Director of DENR-FMB, emphasized the urgent need for strong and collective action to promote social forestry as a vital tool for climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood resilience. He reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to deepening ASEAN cooperation and promoting people-centered forest governance.

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation of country reports from all ASEAN Member States, which showcased national achievements in social forestry, successful community-based initiatives, policy innovations, and strategies to address ongoing challenges in forest-dependent communities. The Philippines highlighted its continued implementation of forestry programs and projects, particularly under Community-Based Forest Management. It also emphasized support for forest-based enterprises and efforts to strengthen institutional and technical capacities at the local level to enhance sustainability and community participation in forest governance.

The meeting agenda also included updates on the Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation in Social Forestry 2021–2025, AWG-SF Information and Communication Systems, and Outcomes of Task Force Meeting and Draft Sectoral Plan of Food, Agriculture & Forestry (FAF) 2026-2030. The meeting also spotlighted partnerships with organizations such as the UN-REDD Programme, CIFOR-ICRAF, RECOFTC, NTFP-EP and FAO, which continue to support social forestry initiatives across the region.

The meeting concluded with a renewed regional commitment to sustainable forestry, with Thailand set to host the 20th AWG-SF meeting in 2026. This milestone affirms the Philippines’ leadership in social forestry and Community-Based Forest Management, and its active role in advancing inclusive forest governance and climate-resilient landscapes across Southeast Asia.