Policies and regulatory instruments were formulated addressing NWFP commodities. These are forestry policy issuances that cover forestry-based commodities in general. These policies include:
a. Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (Republic Act 9147)which aims to conserve the wildlife resources and their habitats and to enhance biological diversity;
b. EO 247 or Bioprospecting Law regulating the harvesting and gathering of
biological products and its derivatives
c. DAO No. 04-1, Series of 1989 which aims to protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities to their ancestral lands to ensure their economic, social and cultural well being.

There are also policy issuances governing a particular NWFP. For instance DENR Administrative Order No. 74, Series of 1987, bans the cutting of almaciga nationwide “to save the remaining stands of almaciga, safeguard the livelihood of almaciga resin gatherers, and assure a continuous supply of resin export in the international market.”

Likewise, prospective resin gatherers are required to apply for Ordinary Minor Forest Products License (OMNL) (DENR Form No. F-16) prior to extraction/harvesting of almaciga resin. This license was issued by the DENR specifically for the gathering, collecting and/or removal of a specified volume of almaciga resin from a specified public forest area. Below are some of the provisions/requirements stipulated under this particular license:
a. chipping should not exceed the thickness of the bark, nor in any case reach the cambium layer;
b. each tapping should not be more than 40 cm. wide;
c. individual cuts should be at least 60 cm. apart horizontally;
d. use only special and sharp chipping tools;
e. observe utmost care when tapping the trees to avoid damaging its cambium; and
f. employ only experienced/trained tappers in extracting/harvesting resins.

CITES

The international trade and transport of medicinal plants is monitored through the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). To address the unsustainable rates of exploitation of medicinal plant at the global level, there are initiatives by the government and partner non government organizations. Among the most significant are the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of IUCN and TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring programme of the WWF and IUCN which closely cooperates with CITES Secretariat.