Ifugao Rice TerracesIfugao Rice Terraces is a National Cultural Treasure, National Museum; Marked Structure, NHCP located at Banaue, Ifugao; Mountain Province, CAR.
Marker Text:
Ifugao Rice Terraces
The Ifugao Rice Terraces cover an area of nearly 400 square kilometers, and if the walls were placed end to end, they would reach more than half-way around the earth. Those of Banaue, Hapao, and Hungduan are among the oldest in Luzon. Archaeological and historical studies indicate that it took the Ifugaos more than 2,000 years to build them. The stone-walled terraces of Ifugao are the highest, best built, and most extensive in the world.
A single migrating people is believed to have carried the terrace culture from South China or Indo-China across to Luzon and southern Japan, and southward to Java and the lesser Sunda Islands — which are the only regions where true rice terraces exist. Remains indicate that the first migration was probably in the second millenium B.C., and carried only a material culture of polished stone, copper and bronze; but a second migration, in the latter part of the first millenium B.C., brought also the use of iron, pottery, and woven cloth. The Banaue people represent the oldest native folk; those of central Ifugao are the typical carriers of the terrace culture; and those of the Kiangan district are the latest comers into the region.
Year Unveiled: 1940
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MALACAÑANG
M a n I l a
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 260
August 1, 1973
DECLARING THE STA. ANA SITE MUSEUM IN MANILA, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES OF PAOAY AND BACARRA IN ILOCOS NORTE, THE SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH AND LITURGICAL OBJECTS THEREIN IN INTRAMUROS, MANILA, FORT PILAR IN ZAMBOANGA CITY, THE PETROGLYPHS OF THE ROCK-SHELTER IN ANGONO, RIZAL, THE PETROGLYPHS OF ALAB, BONTOC, THE STONE AGRICULTURAL CALENDARS OF DAP-AY GUIDAY IN BESAO, BONTOC, THE MUMMY CAVES OF KABAYAN, BENGUET AND OF SAGADA AND ALAB, BONTOC, THE IFUGAO RICE TERRACES OF BANAUE AS NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURES; AND THE BARASOAIN CHURCH IN MALOLOS, BULACAN, TIRAD PASS IN CERVANTES, ILOCOS SUR, THE MIAGAO CHURCH IN MIAGAO, ILOILO, THE SITE OF THE BATTLE OF MACTAN ON MACTAN ISLAND, CEBU, THE SAN SEBASTIAN CHURCH IN QUIAPO, MANILA, AND THE CHURCH AND CONVENT OF SANTO NIO IN CEBU CITY AS NATIONAL SHRINES, MONUMENTS, AND/ OR LANDMARKS, DEFINING THE IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR.
WHEREAS, Pursuant to Article XV, Section 9, paragraph 2 of the Constitution of the Philippines "Filipino culture shall be preserved and developed for national identity";
WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 4846 declares that it is the policy of the state to preserve and protect the cultural properties of the nation;
WHEREAS, There is a necessity of preserving and utilizing the cultural properties of the nation for the furtherance of the people's culture;
WHEREAS, The government recognizes the fact that the cultural properties of the country are necessary that indispensable for the correct understanding of its history and culture;
WHEREAS, There are cultural properties which are especially of high value from the viewpoint of world culture and are considered as irreplaceable treasures of the country;
WHEREAS, The development and preservation of cultural properties are also necessary in the promotion of tourism;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081 dated September 21, 1972 and General Order No. 1 dated September 22, 1972, do hereby decree, order and make as part of the law of the land, the following;
Section 1. The Sta. Ana Site Museum in Manila, the Roman Catholic Churches of Paoay and Bacarra in Ilocos Norte, the San Agustin Church and Liturgical objects therein in Intramuros, Manila, Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City, the Petroglyphs of the Rockshelter in Angono, Rizal, the Petroglyphs of Alab, Bontoc, the Stone Agricultural Calendars of Dap-ay Guiday in Besao, Bontoc, the Mummy Caves of Kabayan, Benguet and of Segada and Alab, Bontoc, the Ifugao Rice Terraces of Banaue are hereby declared as National Cultural Treasures along the lines of Sections 3 and 7 of R.A. 4846 defining cultural properties and treasures, and their preservation, restoration and/or reconstruction shall be under the supervision and control of the National Museum in collaboration with the Department of Tourism;
Section 2. The Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, Tirad Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, the Miagao Church in Miagao, Iloilo, the Site of the Battle of Mactan on Mactan Island in Cebu, the San Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila, and the Church and Convent of Sto. Niño in Cebu City are hereby declared as National Shrines, Monuments and/or Landmarks in accordance with the provisions of R.A. 4368 and their preservation, restoration and/or reconstruction shall be under the supervision and control of the National Historical Commission in collaboration with the Department of Tourism;
Section 3. To carry out the intents of this decree the sum of P500,000.00 for the National Museum and P500,000.00 for the National Historical Commission are hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the funds of the National Treasury, not otherwise appropriated. Subsequent funds therefor shall be incorporated in the Annual Budget.
Section 4. The National Museum and the National Historical Commission are hereby vested with the right to declare other such historical and cultural sites as National Shrines, Monuments, and/or Landmarks, in accordance with the guidelines set forth in R.A. 4846 and the spirit of this Decree.
Section 5. The provisions of R.A. 4846 and R.A. 4368 and other laws which are inconsistent with this Decree are accordingly modified or repealed.
Section 6. This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Approved: August 1, 1973
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Ifugao Rice Terraces – dubbed as the eight wonder of the world, the Ifugao Rice Terraces are ancient terraces that were carved into the mountains by the ancestors of the Ifugao. These were inscribed by UNESCO into the World Heritage List as Living Cultural Landscape and recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as a remarkable engineering achievement. The province has clusters of rce terraces in several of its municipalities, however, only five terraces are inscribed in the World Heritage List. In 2001, these clusters were placed under the Heritage Lists in Danger. Since then, the Philippines and the international community have made a joint effort to fund and implement the restoration and preservation of the Ifugao Rice Terraces.