Ifugao rice terraces need preservation

Noting that the condition of the Ifugao Rice Terraces has continuously deteriorated, Senator Edgardo J. Angara today called for the protection of the cultural landscapes in Cordillera Region.

"This bill is a first step towards an overall terraces management and preservation strategy. It also aims to establish a permanent, efficient, and effective body to coordinate efforts to safeguard the Terraces of the entire Cordillera Region," Angara said.

Angara also said that this will initially formulate a 10-year Cordillera Terraces Master Plan which consists of rehabilitation of the age-old irrigation systems and the construction of new ones and massive reforestation, preservation and protection of the forest areas.

Angara also noted that the Ifugao Terraces are placed in the World Heritage List in Danger in 2001.

The Ifugao Rice Terraces and Cultural Heritage Office (IRTCHO) provided several factors causing the deterioration, namely:

loss of bio-diversity due to bio-piracy, unregulated hunting and indiscriminate use of new technology and introduction of new species;
reduced farm labor due to increasing out-migration of farm labor force;
erosion and siltation due to destruction of watershed;
Land use conversion and abandonment of rice terraces due to damaged rice terraces;
insufficient irrigation water supply, limited income from rice farming, shift in values and priorities of the people, unregulated land use and physical planning.

The marvel of the Ifugao Rice Terraces is in the manner the people transformed the harsh wilderness of the Cordillera highlands into productive farming systems. The terraces are the living testament to the Ifugaos' mastery of watershed ecology, terrace engineering, and water distribution.

The importance of protecting cultural landscapes is explained by the WHL Convention as follows: "the continued existence of traditional forms of land-use supports biological diversity in many regions o f the world. The protection of traditional cultural landscapes is therefore helpful in maintaining biological diversity."