Banaue, Ifugao
Encyclopedia
Banaue is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Philippines
. According to the latest census, it has a population of 21,448 people in 3,952 households. It is widely known as the site of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces
.
s.
World Heritage inscription. It is said that their length, if put end to end, would encircle half of the globe. Built 2,000 years ago, the rice terraces manifest the engineering skill and ingenuity of the sturdy Ifugaos. They are irrigated by means of mountain streams and springs that have been tapped and channeled into canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.
The rice terraces once stretched northeast to Cagayan
and as far south as Quezon
. However they are now slowly being abandoned and showing signs of deterioration. A severe 1990 earthquake damaged some of the terraces' irrigation systems, while El Niño triggered droughts that led giant earthworms to erode the terraces' soil. Furthermore, the rice variety most suited to the area's cool climate is not a high-yielding crop; because it takes so long to mature, some Ifugao families have abandoned their land in the rice terraces in favor of land that reaps faster rewards.
An Ifugao Terraces Commission was created in 1994 but has since been superseded by the Banaue Rice Terraces task force, which was closed in 2002.
UNESCO
has listed the Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces as a World Heritage Site
since 1995, under the designation, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
.
Contrary to popular notion, the Banaue Rice Terraces
as seen from the viewpoint are not included in the UNESCO inscription, due to the presence of numerous modern structures. However, it is a National Cultural Treasure under the Ifugao Rice Terraces.
The Banaue Rice Terraces was chosen as one of the two green globe destinations of the country by the World Travel and Tour Council. It received an “International Historic Engineering Landmark Award” from the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was also acknowledged by the World Travel and Tour Council as a green globe destination in the Philippines.
The stone walled rice terraces were built by means of primitive tools and early methods in order to maximize the use of land space, They exceed the height of the world’s tallest building if the vertical distance between top and bottom row are measured.
, or can be reached from Manila
via Cabanatuan City
.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. According to the latest census, it has a population of 21,448 people in 3,952 households. It is widely known as the site of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. This inscription has five sites: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces , Mayoyao Rice Terraces , Hungduan Rice Terraces and Nagacadan Rice Terraces , all in the Ifugao Province, the...
.
Barangays
Banaue is politically subdivided into 18 districtDistrict
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
s.
|
Kinakin Barangay Kinakin is one of the 18 barangays in the Municipality of Banaue, Ifugao. It has 4 puroks namely: Kinakin, Gilot, Bayninan, and Talop. According to the 2007 census, the barangay accounts 837 in terms of population... |
Ifugao Rice Terraces
Sometimes called by locals as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", the Ifugao Rice Terraces begin at the base of the mountain range and extend several thousand feet upwards. Two of the terrace clusters in Banaue, namely Bangaan and Batad, are part of the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage inscription. It is said that their length, if put end to end, would encircle half of the globe. Built 2,000 years ago, the rice terraces manifest the engineering skill and ingenuity of the sturdy Ifugaos. They are irrigated by means of mountain streams and springs that have been tapped and channeled into canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.
The rice terraces once stretched northeast to Cagayan
Cagayan
Cagayan , the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte...
and as far south as Quezon
Quezon
-History:Originally, what now forms Quezon was divided among the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija. The area was first explored by Juan de Salcedo in 1571-1572, during his expedition from Laguna to Camarines provinces....
. However they are now slowly being abandoned and showing signs of deterioration. A severe 1990 earthquake damaged some of the terraces' irrigation systems, while El Niño triggered droughts that led giant earthworms to erode the terraces' soil. Furthermore, the rice variety most suited to the area's cool climate is not a high-yielding crop; because it takes so long to mature, some Ifugao families have abandoned their land in the rice terraces in favor of land that reaps faster rewards.
An Ifugao Terraces Commission was created in 1994 but has since been superseded by the Banaue Rice Terraces task force, which was closed in 2002.
UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
has listed the Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
since 1995, under the designation, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. This inscription has five sites: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces , Mayoyao Rice Terraces , Hungduan Rice Terraces and Nagacadan Rice Terraces , all in the Ifugao Province, the...
.
Contrary to popular notion, the Banaue Rice Terraces
Banaue Rice Terraces
The Banaue Rice Terraces also called Payew, are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that...
as seen from the viewpoint are not included in the UNESCO inscription, due to the presence of numerous modern structures. However, it is a National Cultural Treasure under the Ifugao Rice Terraces.
The Banaue Rice Terraces was chosen as one of the two green globe destinations of the country by the World Travel and Tour Council. It received an “International Historic Engineering Landmark Award” from the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was also acknowledged by the World Travel and Tour Council as a green globe destination in the Philippines.
The stone walled rice terraces were built by means of primitive tools and early methods in order to maximize the use of land space, They exceed the height of the world’s tallest building if the vertical distance between top and bottom row are measured.
Transport
Banaue can be reached by jeepney, bus, or private car from Baguio CityBaguio City
The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway...
, or can be reached from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
via Cabanatuan City
Cabanatuan City
The City of Cabanatuan is a first class, urban city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. It is considered the commercial, industrial and educational hub of the province. According to the latest census, it has a population of 259,267 people in 45,424 households which makes it the largest...
.
See also
- Banaue Rice TerracesBanaue Rice TerracesThe Banaue Rice Terraces also called Payew, are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that...
External links
- Banaue travel guide from WikitravelWikitravel-External links:* *...
- Ifugao Rice Terraces - Photographs
- Banaue Local Government
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- 1995 Philippine Census Information
- 2000 Philippine Census Information
- 2007 Philippine Census Information
- Local Governance Performance Management System