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Sunday, April 06, 2003
Lawmakers join bid to preserve Ifugao terraces
By Harley Palangchao & Mike Guimbatan Jr.
BAGUIO -- The battle to save the world-famous Ifugao Rice Terraces is now gaining ground after members of the Northern Alliance of Congressmen (NAC) vowed to help Ifugao officials and villagers bring back the natural grandeur of the eighth world wonder.
NAC's support came very timely, after Ifugao Gov. Teddy Baguilat Jr., claimed the concerned government agencies supposed to help revive the terraces seemed not worried about the fast deterioration of the terraces, owing to the lack of funding assistance.
Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao, however, reported that the 31-member NAC, a group of congressmen from the Cordilleras, Regions 1 and 2, vowed to help him revive the proposed bill creating the Ifugao Rice Terraces Authority (IRTA).
The proposed creation of the IRTA has not reportedly been given much attention at the Lower House, after President Arroyo announced that she was not keen on creating attached or special agencies now due to government spending deficits.
Prior to Chungalao's announcement, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos also told reporters recently that she and Chungalao have been "pushing for the rehabilitation of the terraces, not only for tourism purposes, but more importantly as a means to boost the struggling agricultural industry in the region."
Marcos, in a press conference earlier recalled the sad experience she and Chungalao had when they approached the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to source out financial help for the rice terraces.
She said they were given the run-around when they first approached the DOT, which immediately referred them to the DA.
According to her, the DOT explained to them that the department was responsible solely for funding the building of access roads, as well as ensuring that existing accommodations like hotels, are suitable for tourists.
Marcos related that when they went back to the DA, they were told that the "DOT is the lead agency responsible for restoring the terraces."
On Wednesday, Baguilat warned if nothing is done to curb the fast deterioration of the Ifugao Rice Terraces until 2005 it might be delisted from the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).
"The Unesco formerly tasked the national government to preserve the terraces, but their thrust was mainly for tourism purposes," he pointed out during a press forum at the Kalapaw restaurant earlier this week.
With no definite agency to direct the rehabilitation of the rice terraces, the Ifugaos are now into a cultural revival, as a strategy to preserve and protect the terraces built by their ancestors' centuries ago.
Among these is the return of the traditional rice cultures from planting to harvest, led by their vanishing mumbakis, Ifugao's high spiritual priests. Rituals that include dancing, butchering of pigs and chicken, and chanting following the rice cycle.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN earlier stressed that the alarming and steady deterioration of the Ifugao rice terraces must be reversed within the next 10 years or the terraces will lose its world heritage status.
Towards this end, Baguilat enjoined the Ifugaos and other concerned regional line agencies to help preserve the terraces. He, however, said that present damages to the terraces are irreversible.(Sun.Star Baguio)
(April 6, 2003 issue)
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