Go Philippines: Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras

The Rice Terraces of Cordillera was built more than 2000 years ago by ancients people of Ifugao before the arrival of Spaniards. Five locations were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, the rice terraces in Bangaan, Batad, Mayaoyao, Hungduan, and Nagacadan. The Banaue Rice Terraces was not included in the list because of many modern structures built in the site that makes it low in score for criterion of UNESCO. The five clusters of rice terraces has pass the criterion because of preservation and blending of physical, socio-cultural, economic, religious, and political environment as a living heritage landscape.

There are some rice terraces in other parts of the world but the rice terraces in Cordillera stands out because of its steep slope (maximum of 70 degrees) and high altitude(up to 1500m). The making of this terraces shows a great knowledge of ancient Ifugao in civil engineering. It is proven with their good design and construction of earth or stone walls along the terraces and carefully carving the contour of the mountains for better irrigation from forest top. A complex system of small earth dams, sluices, channels and bamboo pipes are installed to make the whole area of rice terraces flooded.

In 2001, the Rice Terraces of Cordillera was included also in the List of World Heritage in Danger due to deforestation, climate change and globalization.