Its total length is said to be ten times that of the Great Wall of China. Some say that if its sections were placed end to end, it would be 20,000 km or half the earth! Some even call it the eighth wonder of the world. However, many people have never heard of this incredible spectacle in the Philippines. What is it? The stairs to heaven, the rice terraces of the Cordillera Central. Tucked high in Luzon, the terraces are an impressive example of beauty and ingenuity.
Why were they built? The rugged mountains of the Cordilleras are so steep that they cannot normally be used for agriculture. The inclination of some slopes exceeds 50 percent. But that didn't stop the old farmers. At an altitude of 1,200 m or more, they dug thousands of terraces on the slopes of the Green Mountains. Sometimes 25, 30 or more are stacked like a ladder to heaven. And every terrace is a cultivated lake area, bounded by dikes and preserved by stone walls. Most are planted with rice and follow the contours of the mountains; Some slopes are concave and some are convex.
Agricultural terraces are of course not only found in the Philippines. There are also terraced fields in other countries, especially in Southeast Asia, South America and parts of Africa. But in many ways the rice terraces of the Philippines are unique. Mario Movillon of the International Rice Research Institute told Awake !: “The rice terraces in the Philippines are much larger than in other countries. They cover a large part of the Cordillera mountains ”. Much of it is in Ifugao Province. You can't help but be impressed by the large number of terraces. They add sculptural beauty to the natural flow of the mountains.
A wonder of the world?
Is it an exaggeration to call it the eighth wonder of the world? Keep this fact in mind: they are possibly the greatest agricultural project in human history. In December 1995, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture decided to add the Ifugao rice terraces to its World Heritage List. As a result, the terraces are now compared to other places of great historical and cultural value, such as the Taj Mahal in India, the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, the Great Wall of China and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. But unlike other older construction projects, the terraces were apparently built through community effort, not slave labor. In addition, they are not a deserted place, but the Ifugao are still actively cultivating.
When you visit the terraces, you can experience the inspiring beauty in person. You will see people working on the decks that range from a few square feet to 10,000 square feet. Some workers hit the ground with sticks to let the water in and sang as they walked. Others plant rice, transplant seedlings, or harvest. When you approach a new rice, the terraces form a beautiful mosaic of different shades of green.
Wet rice varieties cannot survive without large amounts of water. Hence there is a complex irrigation system. The mountain streams are used and the water reaches the terraces through a complex system of canals and bamboo tubes. Driven by gravity, a reliable water supply is distributed from farm to farm. The terraces are not a dead monument, but a real wonder!
Who built it?
Needless to say, those thousands of terraces couldn't be built overnight in even a few years. Remember, this construction was done without modern tools and machinery. Therefore, it is believed that the construction of the terrace began at least a few hundred years ago.
Some archaeologists even believe that the work began 2000 years ago. Anthropologists suggest that the builders emigrated from northern Indochina or Indonesia and settled in Luzon to bring their culture of moist rice terraces with them. After the terraces were built, new levels were gradually added.
How you can benefit from it
Now let's take an imaginary walk through the terraces. First we took an air-conditioned bus from Manila to Banaue, Ifugao. The journey takes about nine hours. We now face a number of options. We can either walk, ride a tricycle (a motorcycle with a sidecar), or take the jeepney to various places of interest. And if we have the will and the strength, we may want to follow one of the trails that lead to mountain areas that are only accessible on foot. These offer some of the most spectacular views from the terraces and give a better idea of the vastness of this man-made wonder.
We decided to take a jeepney to Batad town. It took us over an hour to get up the rugged mountain road and get to the 12km point. From there we went down a path. It takes us through a variety of mountain vegetation as we gradually climb a ridge between two highest points. (There is a shorter route, but it is very steep and is not recommended for those who are not used to strenuous climbing.) From the summit we slowly descend via a narrow path to Batad.
After walking for a couple of hours and enjoying the pure mountain air, we finally arrived at our destination. Here the terraces are a feast for the eyes. Since Batad is next to a concave mountain, the terraces are shaped like a large amphitheater. They paint an interesting pattern of lines, level by level, like a staircase to heaven. As we approach the village, we see the old houses of Ifugao that cover the village like giant grassy mushrooms.
The people are friendly and greet us when we work on the terraces. You will be surprised when locals nimble along a stone terrace wall and use it as a way to get from point to point. Others climb from level to level with the confident gait of a mountain goat, using strategically placed stones as a ladder. A closer look shows that they are barefoot. And all around is this spectacular view of the mountain terraces, a rare case in which human work integrates and complements the environment.
Seems interesting? So when you visit the Philippines, don't miss the opportunity to see the Stairway to Heaven, a living wonder that you will not easily forget.
Save the terraces
Despite the current beauty of the terraces, their very existence is threatened. Many younger generations of highlands avoid growing rice and seek work in other regions. This could lead to a shortage of farmers trained to look after the terraces.
Aurora Ammayao from Ifugao, affiliated with the International Rice Research Institute, told Awake! another danger: "The terraces must always be wet, but now there is no more water due to deforestation". Drying out the pool would destroy the terraces.
Natural disasters sometimes cause problems too. In 1990, an earthquake destroyed several sections of the terraces when entire slopes collapsed.
However, measures are being taken to prevent the terraces from disappearing. In 1996 a decree was issued to create the Ifugao Territory Commission. Your task? Maintenance of terraces, including hydraulic support system and management of the area, as well as restoration of degraded areas.
The inclusion of terraces on the list of world cultural heritage of the United Nations Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) also obliges the Philippine government to preserve the site. According to Jean Tuason, Deputy Executive Director of the UNESCO Office in Manila, "UNESCO can also provide technical and financial support for the protection and maintenance of rice terraces".