Banaue rice terraces should be restored

There are seven Wonders of the World – Pyramids of Egypt, Hanging Gardens in Babylon, Tomb of Mausolos (Mausoleum), Temple of Diana at Ephesus, Colossus of Rhodes, Statue of Jupiter by Phydias and Pharos of Alexandria.

Later, seven more were added. They are: Coliseum of Rome, Catacombs of Alexandria, Great Wall of China, Stonehenge in Britain, Leaning Tower at Pisa, Porcelain Tower of Nanking and Mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople.

We have always believed the Banaue Rice Terraces as one of the Wonders of the World. The reason why it has not been recognized is the fact that to this day, very few people are aware of its existence. Even in the Philippines, we did not know of the rice terraces till the American period of our history. Jose Rizal and his con-temporaries never heard of the rice terraces.

You cannot see the rice terraces and not be amazed at how primitive people could have conceived and constructed such an awesome task. Some authorities say that the terraces may have taken 2,000 years to finish. How many generations is that? Now, the terraces are in dire need of restoration. The saddest part is that the people in the area – meaning the Ifugaos, Kalingas, Bontocks, Kankahois, Tingguians, Tapayos and Ishogs – are no longer interested in farming in the terraces. Some areas are even being used to cultivate marijuana.

The rice terraces we say and maintain constitute the greatest and only Filipino contribution to world heritage. To allow them to deteriorate is to negate the very meaning of the word Filipino.

The rehabilitation of the Rice Terraces was dicussed in the 25th session of the Bureau of World Heritage Committee in Helsinki, Finland. It was included in the List of World Heritage in Danger. Since 1995, the Ifugao Terraces Commission had a Three-Year Master Plan for the Restoration and Preservation of the Ifugao Rice Terraces. Their goal was to restore, preserve, protect and enhance the scenic value of the Ifugao Rice Terraces in a manner that will provide maximum benefits to the Ifugao communities. But nothing has happened.

Some people find it hard to accept the fact that our so-called primitive tribes had actually greater achievements than the Christianized, Hispanized and Americanized Filipinos. But it is a fact. Show us another achievement greater than the primitive Rice Terraces!