HOW MANY RICE TERRACES DO WE REALLY HAVE?

HOW MANY RICE TERRACES DO WE REALLY HAVE?

The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.  This inscription has five sites: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces, Mayoyao Rice Terraces, Hungduan Rice Terraces and Nagacadan Rice Terraces, all in the Ifugao Province, the Philippines.  The five clusters inscribed are under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Banaue but are not referred to as the Banaue Rice Terraces.

The Banaue Rice Terraces refer to the cluster close to the Banaue poblacion as seen from the viewpoint. Contrary to popular belief, these terraces are not part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. They were not included in the UNESCO inscription due to the presence of numerous modern structures, making it score low in the integrity criterion of UNESCO. The Banaue Rice Terraces are however a National Cultural Treasure under Ifugao Rice Terraces, together with the other rice terraces clusters.

The history of the terraces is intertwined with that of its people, their culture, and their traditional practices.  Built 2000 years ago and passed on from generation to generation, the Ifugao Rice Terraces reach a higher altitude and were built on steeper slopes than many other terraces. The terraces illustrate a persistence of cultural traditions and remarkable continuity and endurance; archaeological evidence reveals that this technique has been in use in the region for 2000 years virtually unchanged.  The rice terraces of the Cordilleras are the only monuments in the Philippines that show no evidence of having been influenced by colonial cultures. Owing to the difficult terrain, the Cordillera tribes are among the few peoples of the Philippines who have successfully resisted any foreign domination and have preserved their authentic tribal culture.

In 2012, UNESCO has removed the Rice Terraces from the list in recognition of the success of the Philippines in improving its conservation. (Wikipedia)

Photo of Batad Rice Terraces