Save the Ifugao Terraces

Where is Ifugao Terraces?
Ifugao is one of the six provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), situated in the Philippines’ North Central Luzon. It is a landlocked watershed province bounded by a mountain range to the north and west that tempers into undulating hills towards the south and the east. The highest elevation is 2,523 meters above sea level (masl) with the rice terraces lying above 500 masl.

What is the source of living of the Ifugaos (originally Ipugo "from the earth")?
The traditional economy was characterized by terrace agriculture, woodlot maintenance and swidden farming which developed in response to the natural landscape and have given it its distinctive character over the centuries. However, these systems are now placed under intense pressure by both subsistence and market demands.

As a result, the traditional forms of subsistence are being eaten away by changing cultural values and the pressing economic needs of the local population. Ifugao today is one of the poorest provinces in the country. More than 90 percent of its income comes from its share of the Internal Revenue Allotment, while less than 10 percent is generated from local sources. Its total income in year 2000 was PHP 201,218,543.90 or roughly US$5 million.

About 69 percent of the labour force is involved in agriculture. Rice produced by the terraced paddies can only feed a regular family for a little over five months, so Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement has initiated eco-tourism to the community to increase economic benefits.  More information at UNESCO website.

Since its initiation in 2006, the eco-cultural heritage programme has yielded promising results, but much still needs to be accomplished and improved.

As a contribution to help farmers overcome their structural poverty, the overall financial contribution of the rice cycle tours to the host communities is still insignificant. The number of visitors to heritage sites other than Banaue is still relatively low. Thus the economic impact of tourism on the host communities is not yet felt. Nevertheless, the increasing number of visitors participating in the heritage tours is a good sign. With the right local government policies, continued collaboration of all stakeholders and continued investment from both the public and private sectors, the heritage tours may eventually be a significant contributor the local economy and a tool for the conservation of the rice terraces.

Let us preserve our heritage, let us support the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMo), a non-government organization, which aims to revive traditional management practices through the transmission of indigenous knowledge systems to the younger generation and to assist ethnic communities to develop pro-poor tourism industries that benefit all stakeholders and revive disappearing cultural practices.

TUNOD AD HUNGDUAN TOUR (2010)
Feb. 19-21 (3 days, 2 nights)
(Rice Planting Tour, December, January and February)

The tour will give the tourists the opportunity to experience the Ifugao rice terraces culture by actually participating in tunod or transplanting of the rice seedlings.

Day 1 Feb. 19 Friday- Kiangan
6 am Arrival in Kiangan
8am-9am Breakfast
9am-10am Orientation on Ifugao Culture and the Ifugao Rice Terraces
10am-11am Visit Gen. Yamashita Surrender Site , WWII Memorial Shrine, Ifugao Museum
11am-12nn Lunch
12:30-1:30 pm Travel to Brgy. Julongan
1:30pm-3:30 pm 30 minute nature-treck to Bagnit waterfalls(swimming in its natural pool)
4pm-5pm Travel back to SITMo Office (place of accommodation)
Free time
7:30pm-8:30pm Dinner
8:30pm-10pm Bonfire/ socialization
Overnight at SITMo Office dorm

Day 2 Feb. 20 Saturday– Tunod Day
7am-8am Breakfast
8:30am-10:30am Travel to Hungduan
10:30am-11:30am Check in at Hungduan Eco-village
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
1pm-3:00pm Tunod activity
4pm-7pm Free time/rest
7pm-8 pm Dinner
8pm-10pm Cultural show and community interaction

Day 3 Feb. 21 Sunday
7:30am-8:30am Breakfast
9am-111am Loom weaving demo ( for those who want to attend mass, mass starts at 9am)
11am-12:00nn Lunch
12nn-12:30pm Travel to Brgy. Hapao
12:30pm-2:30pm Hapao Viewpoint
Wood carving demo
2:30pm-3:30pm Visit Banaue Viewpoint
Souvenir shopping
5pm Departure for those going to Baguio (KMS Lines)
6 pm Departure for those going to Manila (Autobus)

photo courtesy of SITMo