The Philippines consultative workshop on the CBNRM stocktaking exercise considered the question of monitoring and evaluation (M&E). At present, much information on CBNRM in the Philippines is anecdotal and data is not standardized. An associated geo-spatial data base is also lacking, making it difficult to know where CBNRM is happening (and also making it difficult to calculate the area under which it is practiced). However, it will be costly (both in terms of time and money) to establish a more systematic and comprehensive M&E system for CBNRM. Is such a systematic and comprehensive system necessary to advance and promote CBNRM? Why or why not?