ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF)
FMB Dir. Nonito Tamayo (6th from left) poses with ASEAN forestry officials at the 22nd Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry in Makati City, Philippines, 18 July 2019.
The ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF) was organized in 1997 by the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) and Senior Officials Meeting (SOM-AMAF) as one of the subsidiary bodies under the ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
ASOF and its subsidiary bodies contribute to the achievement of the ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Socio-cultural Community and the Vision and Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Food, Agriculture and Forestry (SP-FAF) 2016-2025.
The ASOF meets annually to formulate and implement regional cooperation activities in support of the following strategic thrusts under the SP-FAF: (1) enhance trade facilitation, economic integration and market access; (2) increase resilience to climate change, natural disasters and other shocks; (3) strengthen ASEAN joint approaches on international and regional issues affecting the FAF sector; and (4) promote sustainable forest management.
ASOF has working groups to undertake planning and implementation of specific activities in line with the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry (SPA on Forestry) 2016-2025. The ASOF Working Groups are:
(1) Forest Products Development (AWGFPD)
(2) Forest Management (AWGFM)
(3) Forest and Climate Change (AWGFCC)
(4) Social Forestry (AWGSF), and
(5) CITES and Wildlife Enforcement (AWGCITES & WE) - This is discussed under the section on biodiversity
STRATEGIC PLAN OF ACTION FOR ASEAN COOPERATION ON FORESTRY 2016-2025
The SPA on ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry consists of five strategic thrusts, 16 action programs and 74 activities. It is also used as the main reference by the ASOF Working Groups in the development of their Plan of Action (POA). The SPA on Forestry was approved during the 19th ASOF Meeting in Lao PDR and the 38th AMAF Meeting in 2016 in Singapore. It has the following strategic thrusts: (1) Enhancing sustainable forest management, (2) Enhancing trade facilitation, economic integration and market access, (3) Enhancing forest sector resilience and role to climate change, (4) Institutional strengthening and human resources development, and (5) Strengthening ASEAN's joint approaches on regional and international issues affecting forestry.
The Working Groups under ASOF will undertake the activities from 2016 to 2025. Depending on progress made and further need for the Working Groups, their activities may be extended upon the consideration and decision of ASOF. The Terms of Reference for the Working Groups under ASOF shall be reviewed in 2020 in terms of their relevance and to ensure their efficiency and effectiveness in delivery of their outputs.
The action programme and specific activities in the Strategic Plan and the responsible ASOF Subsidiary Bodies are found here: https://asean.org/storage/2016/10/Strategic-Plan-of-Action-for-ASEAN-Cooperation-on-Forestry-2016-2025.pdf
ASOF and its subsidiary bodies contribute to the achievement of the ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Socio-cultural Community and the Vision and Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Food, Agriculture and Forestry (SP-FAF) 2016-2025.
The ASOF meets annually to formulate and implement regional cooperation activities in support of the following strategic thrusts under the SP-FAF: (1) enhance trade facilitation, economic integration and market access; (2) increase resilience to climate change, natural disasters and other shocks; (3) strengthen ASEAN joint approaches on international and regional issues affecting the FAF sector; and (4) promote sustainable forest management.
ASOF has working groups to undertake planning and implementation of specific activities in line with the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry (SPA on Forestry) 2016-2025. The ASOF Working Groups are:
(1) Forest Products Development (AWGFPD)
(2) Forest Management (AWGFM)
(3) Forest and Climate Change (AWGFCC)
(4) Social Forestry (AWGSF), and
(5) CITES and Wildlife Enforcement (AWGCITES & WE) - This is discussed under the section on biodiversity
STRATEGIC PLAN OF ACTION FOR ASEAN COOPERATION ON FORESTRY 2016-2025
The SPA on ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry consists of five strategic thrusts, 16 action programs and 74 activities. It is also used as the main reference by the ASOF Working Groups in the development of their Plan of Action (POA). The SPA on Forestry was approved during the 19th ASOF Meeting in Lao PDR and the 38th AMAF Meeting in 2016 in Singapore. It has the following strategic thrusts: (1) Enhancing sustainable forest management, (2) Enhancing trade facilitation, economic integration and market access, (3) Enhancing forest sector resilience and role to climate change, (4) Institutional strengthening and human resources development, and (5) Strengthening ASEAN's joint approaches on regional and international issues affecting forestry.
The Working Groups under ASOF will undertake the activities from 2016 to 2025. Depending on progress made and further need for the Working Groups, their activities may be extended upon the consideration and decision of ASOF. The Terms of Reference for the Working Groups under ASOF shall be reviewed in 2020 in terms of their relevance and to ensure their efficiency and effectiveness in delivery of their outputs.
The action programme and specific activities in the Strategic Plan and the responsible ASOF Subsidiary Bodies are found here: https://asean.org/storage/2016/10/Strategic-Plan-of-Action-for-ASEAN-Cooperation-on-Forestry-2016-2025.pdf
- Focal Office:
- Forest Management Bureau (FMB)
- Date:
- 1997
- Focal Persons:
- ASOF Leader
FOR. NONITO M. TAMAYO
Director, DENR-FMB Tel. No. (632) 927 4788
Alternate
FOR. EDNA D. NUESTRO
OIC-Assistant Director, DENR-FMB
Tel. No. (632) 927 4784, Fax: (632) 928 2778
Technical Focal Division
Forest Policy, Planning and Knowledge Management Division (FPPKMD) - Commitments:
- - Contribute to the achievement of the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry
- Submit country reports
- Participate and provide inputs to ASOF meetings - Status / Updates:
- The DENR-FMB hosted and chaired the 22nd ASOF Meeting on 17-18 July 2019 in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The ASOF, under the chairmanship of the Philippines, endorsed the following 2019 deliverables under the ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry:
1. ASEAN Voluntary Code of Conduct on Imports for Forest and Timber Companies (ASEAN VCoC)
2. ASEAN Guidelines for Detecting and Preventing Wildlife Trafficking
3. Regional Community Forestry (CF) Assessment Tool
4. Regional Agroforestry for Climate Change Resilient Landscape Manual
The DENR-FMB joined the other ASOF members in the conduct of the following in 2018:
- Endorsed to AMAF the Manual for Assessing Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG implementation in ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Guidelines for Agroforestry Development
- Supported the Climate Smart Land Use (CSLU) project as a continuation of the German-Programme on Response to Climate Change in Agriculture and Forestry (GAP-CC) and the Forestry and Climate Change project (FOR-CC) to support relevant measures/activities under the SPA for ASEAN Cooperation in FAF (2016-2025), in particular those related to (1) Enhancing Climate Resilience and Strategic Thrust 5 or Strengthening ASEAN's Joint Approach es on Regional and International Issues Affecting the Forestry Sector and (2) Enhanced dialogue on land-based sectors such as agriculture and forestry, particularly to the Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement on climate change. - Latest Activities:
- - 22nd ASOF Meeting and Related Meetings, 18-19 July 2019; Makati City, Philippines - Dir. Nonito M. Tamayo (FMB), Dir. Sofio B. Quintana (DENR ERDB), Dir. Romulo Aggangan (DOST-FPRDI), For. Edna D. Nuestro (FMB), For. Fe C. Oliveros (FMB), and FMB Technical Expanded Executive Committee
- 21st ASOF Meeting and Related Meetings, 9-13 July 2018; Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar - Dir. Nonito M. Tamayo (FMB), Dir. Sofio B. Quintana (ERDB), Dir. Romulo Aggangan (DOST-FPRDI), For. Fe C. Oliveros (FMB), Mr. Alejandrino
R. Sibucao, Jr. (FMB)
- 20th ASOF Meeting and Related Meetings, 24-29 July 2017; Putrajaya, Malaysia - Dir. Nonito M. Tamayo (FMB), Asst. Dir. Bighani Manipula (ERDB), Dir. Romulo Aggangan (DOST-FPRDI), For. Fe C. Oliveros (FMB), For. Ildefonso Quilloy (FMB)
- 19th ASOF Meeting and Related Meetings, 1-6 August 2016; Vientiane, Lao PDR - For. Jesus Javier, For Fe C. Oliveros, For Kenneth R. Tabliga (FMB) and Dir. Romulo Aggangan (DOST-FPRDI) - Next Steps:
- - 23rd ASOF and related meetings in Thailand
- Implement activities in the SPA for ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry and submit accomplishments thereof
This Page was updated on 16 December 2019 and will be updated on 10 December 2020