Continued deforestation in the Philippines remains a challenge notwithstanding efforts by government through the decades to address this problem. While the root causes of deforestation are many, the persistence of deforestation may be linked to a policy regime in the forestry sector which does not appear to be responsive to present demands and challenges, with an outdated Forestry Code serving as a sign. Moreover, approaches to forest management can be varied in the absence of an overall guiding policy direction. Moving forward, there is the need and opportunity to review forestry policies under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and determine whether these in general are clear and well-defined. There is likewise the need to look at older and other related policies which have bearing on the forestry sector and identify ambiguities and conflicts which may arise between various policies. Ultimately, this paper mainly proposes the enactment of a new law on Sustainable Forest Management which may provide a unifying direction for forestry management efforts throughout the country and pave the way for the full promotion of community-based forest management.