Stairways to Heaven

 Our Ancestors' Legacy

“The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, often referred to as "stairways to Heaven", were included last year in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage List’s cultural landscapes category.

The areas listed in this category are considered to be sites of significant global value that demonstrate the interaction of man and nature. Listed sites are officially protected by the World Heritage Convention which seeks to preserve significant sites of natural and cultural value. The convention is ratified by over 140 countries, including the Philippines.

The cultivation of highland rice varieties by mountain terracing is practiced throughout Asia, but the Cordillera terraces are said to be the most extensive and unique. They cover the highest mountain peaks of six provinces - Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province, Abra - and are located even on the steepest slopes, sometimes slanting 70 degrees.

The original work of Igorot peoples more than 2,000 years ago, the terraces were designed and built using the most basic tools and technology. Yet they still survive to this day as living ecosystems based on the efficient and respectful collective use of the mountains’ water resources.

The rice terraces have survived as a "living" cultural landscape because the indigenous peoples have preserved and maintained their own cultural heritage — a culture deeply rooted in the land and nature and creation. This is truly the special significance of the Cordillera.”— Dee Dicen Hunt

The Cordillera Regions' main source of livelihood is farming.  Topographically in the area are vast high mountains.  Our ancestors had to terrace these mountains manually using stones and clay soil to raise food crops mainly rice. Then handed down from one generation to the next. Other agriculture products such as vegetables, root crops and fruit trees are raised in the “Kaingins” (gardens in the mountains).  To this day, people who tend these kaingins and rice terraces still do it manually with the help of the Carabao for plowing and basic farming tools.  Harvests are carried by foot through mountains, valleys and streams.

I grew up in a village in the Mountain Province.  It was only in the early 80s that a rough road was built connecting it to the center of town towards  Halsema highway which is the only link road of the province  to the neighboring  towns and to the low lands.  Life was simple then and every crop were organic.  When  the road was built, followed by the  introduction of  new technologies, the farmers started using chemical fertilizers, weed killers and insecticides for more yields.  As a result, they have to use more and more chemically formulated farm inputs because the rice fields and kaingins are not anymore as productive as they were.

Some farmers moved to the lowlands and others migrated  to other places nationwide and even abroad.  The rice fields are  no longer  sustainable  so people in these mountain regions buy rice from the lowlands or from the imported rice of the government.  Perhaps because of the availability of commercial rice, the present generations have no more passion for tending their rice fields or farming.  Others find vegetable and flower gardens more lucrative so some rice fields now are neglected and untended.

To save the Cordillera's famous rice fields architectural and cultural heritage we need the support of our government.  To build more farm to market roads and farming  infrastructures, available education and trainings for our farmers to promote sustainable agriculture.  Support the farmers to increase food production rather than importing from other countries. It is the corruption in our government system that exploits our farmers to competition by importing farm products and encouraging capitalism and hoarders.  The government should also provide financial assistance to our farmers in the form of loans with low or no interest and do away with the red tapes so that our  farmers can avail to it rather than borrowing from the capitalists on very high interest rates.

Our group promotes Organic Farming to reduce chemical farm inputs while increasing their farm yields and produce healthier foods.  We conduct information forums to create awareness on Organic foods and saving mother nature.  We appreciate the efforts of our Agriculturist partners who offer and share their expertise for the cause.

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."  ~Native American Proverb