Today we have a guest article from Ann Joy Perez. Thank you for your submission, Ann Joy. Mindanao Bob
With at least two thousand years of history, the Banaue Rice Terraces have been dug on the mountain slopes by Filipino ancestors. The natural wonder had been gradually destroyed by man’s carelessness and greed and the strong typhoons which visited the country last year. Now the government is bound to restore the majestic stair of rice paddies kissing the sky. In this article, we will discuss reasons why this move is just necessary.
1. It is one of the Unesco World Heritage’s sites listed in 1995.
Neglecting it would be a waste for its great beauty can conquer and conserve a harmonious relationship between the environment and mankind. As a primitive agriculture engineering feat that made it to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage, reviving it is a must. Else, it would be a shame to the world, lying lifeless.
2. It is used as a means of livelihood.
The Banaue Rice Terraces is not named with “rice” for nothing. Besides being a natural wonder, it is used by several Benguet local residents for planting crops (usually rice). The terraces are gifted withrich soil to plant rice. The Ifugaos are experts in agricultural and irrigation systems. They divert water from the rivers and streams to channel through bamboo pipes and dikes and avoid soil erosion by ensuring that the right amount and no excess of water will be flown to the terraces. As such, the vast land helps our farmers of the Cordillera region as well as our economy by exporting of rice in other countries.
3. It can be used to promote tourism in the Philippines.
The Banaue Rice Terraces are considered as one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the country, as they are thought to be completed with only minimal materials and bare hands.In addition, the indigenous people of Ifugao carved these mountains and formed them into giant stairways that are believed to connect the globe end to end. Many are intrigued by this, tempting local and foreign tourists alike to visit the spot and enjoy sight-seeing with the beautiful scenery that the terraces offer.If it remains unrecovered through the years, its magnificence might just fade away and forgotten.
4. It reflects our native culture.
The Banaue rice terraces exhibit the Ifugao farmers’ diligence, creativity and determination as they were built and contoured scrupulously by our native ancestors. To date, the farmers in the region are still planting rice without the use of farming machineries (e.g. mechanical thresher, rice mill and other facilities) to mechanize their operations; that’s why the price of their harvested crops are more expensive than the regular ones sold in the market. Here, their bold efforts in everyday agricultural work and maintenance mirror our culture of hard work.
5. It has been bequeath to us by our ancestors.
We should only preserve and give further important to what our ancestors had worked hard for. Restoring the rice terraces is showing respect both to them, to their region, to the country and above all, to Mother Nature.
An ancient natural monument, it would be an understatement to say that the Rice Terraces are a wonderful masterpiece to behold. They are more than mere sights but truly a land that can help boost our tourism and our economy by increasing the production of our upland rice exportations. Therefore, we should give importance and take care of the gift from our ancestors because as they were crafted by passion and beauty, and their structure is so amazing that we can boast it to other countries.
Ann Joy Perez is an alumna from Arellano University Philippines, a former Marketing Assistant and a 25 year old, single. She is into almost all types of Music especially love songs. She also love playing basketball, video games,watching entertainment and films.watching news tv and reading news paper is one of her favorite hobby and also she loves to eat.
Bob Martin is the Publisher & Editor in Chief of the Live in the Philippines Web Magazine. Bob is an Internet Entrepreneur who is based in Davao. Bob is an American who has lived permanently in Mindanao since May 2000. Here in Mindanao, Bob has resided in General Santos City, and now in Davao City. Bob is the owner of this website and many others.