A continuing effort

Recently the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization removed the Ifugao Rice Terraces from its list of endangered World Heritage sites, in recognition of preservation efforts. This piece of good news, however, can quickly change if the effort is not sustained.

Ifugao officials have stressed that the effort requires funding to prevent soil erosion and destructive landslides. Giant worms have been damaging the terrace walls for some time. The number of people maintaining the paddies has steadily gone down, as rice harvests with low returns have driven many villagers, especially the youth, to find other sources of livelihood elsewhere.

The Rice Terraces are among the country’s top tourist destinations. Images of the extensive terraced paddies figure prominently in the government’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign. Banawe, and the communities all the way to Sagada, can use an infusion of investments in infrastructure that will draw more tourists. The natural attractions are there, from the terraces to Bontoc to the ancient burial grounds in Sagada. But the road network, transportation and telecommunications facilities need improvement.

To boost income, villagers can also be assisted in marketing their special highland rice, and in planting other crops that grow well in the cool climate such as coffee, cut flowers and strawberries. Assistance can also be provided so that local skills in hand weaving, woodcarving, beadwork and metalwork can be utilized in producing highvalue products.

Poverty and the lack of economic opportunities are driving the people of the Cordilleras to abandon their precious heritage. The best way to sustain efforts to preserve the Ifugao Rice Terraces is to bring development to the communities that traditionally depend on the rice paddies for their livelihood. Preserving the Rice Terraces should not be equated by local communities with hardship and impoverishment, but with opportunities for a better life.