Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. BH

Introduced by Representative SOLOMON R. CHUNGALAO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Ifugao Rice Terraces have been dubbed as the “Eighth Wonder
of the World” and inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1995 by the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)!. Long
before its inscription in the World Heritage List, the rice terraces of the
Philippine Cordilleras, specifically the Ifugao Rice Terraces, were given due
recognition in 1973 by the Philippine Government as a national landmark
for its high world cultural value and as an irreplaceable treasure of the
country?.

Built 2000 years ago, the Ifugao Rice Terraces have been regarded
as a “landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between
humankind and the environment” which resulted from the fruit of
knowledge handed down from one generation to the next and the
expression of sacred traditions and a delicate social balance.

The Ifugao Rice Terraces Commission (IRTC) was created in 1994 by
virtue of Executive Order No. 158 to act as an advisory body to the
President on matters affecting the Ifugao Rice Terraces?. This was replaced
in 1999 with Banaue Rice Terraces Task Force (BRTTF) through Executive
Order No. 77 which was mandated to restore, preserve and develop the

+ UNESCO, (1995). New inscribed Properties. Retrieved at
https://whe.unesco.org/en/newproperties/date=1995&mode=list

? DENR. (2008). Conservation and Adaptive Management of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
{GIAHS): The Ifugao Rice Terraces Philippine Project Framework. Retrieved at http://www.fao.org/3/a-bp814e
* Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (1994). Executive Order No. 158, s. 1994, Retrieved at
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1994/02/18/executive-order-no-158-s-1994/


Ifugao Rice Terraces as well as to prepare a development plan for the
same*. In 2002, BRTTF’s responsibilities, functions and assets were
transferred to the Provincial Government of Ifugao. This resulted in the
creation of the Ifugao Rice Terraces Cultural and Heritage Office (IRTCHO)
under the Office of the Provincial Governor, which was later replaced by the
Ifugao Cultural Heritage Office (ICHO).

During the late 1990's, the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice) sent a crop specialist to Banaue who discovered that the worms
were damaging the roots produced by germinated rice seeds aside from
eroding the terraces by burrowing in their walls. The rats, meanwhile, were
eating the rice flower heads and contributing to the terraces’ erosion with
their burrowing and if left unchecked, the rats could destroy about 75
percent of rice crops. According to the same PhilRice report, severe drought
and massive deforestation of the highlands have also contributed to the
terraces’ collapse®.

In 1999, the rice terraces were included in the list of 100 most
endangered sites of the World Monument Watch. In 2001, the World
Heritage Committee of UNESCO decided to inscribe the Ifugao Rice
Terraces on the List of World Heritage in Danger, asserting that “in the
absence of a systematic monitoring programme or a comprehensive
management plan, it is, at present, impossible to guarantee the
preservation and sustainable development of these rice terraces.

During the 2001 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World
Cultural and Natural Heritage, a UNESCO report revealed that many
farmers have left, abandoning 25-30 percent of the terraces, and letting
their indigenous irrigation system fall into ruin. This abandonment, together
with rat and worm pests, threatened to destroy the terraces. The same
UNESCO report maintained that despite good planning, irregular
development is taking place, threatening to erode the heritage landscape.
It further claimed that international assistance has not been mobilized to
help the area so far. The International Union for the Conversation of Nature
advised that if ongoing destruction of the terraces is not arrested,
widespread damage may be irreversible®.

There is an urgent need to look into the progress of various efforts
and initiatives to save the Ifugao Rice Terraces from total degradation.
Therefore, there is a necessity to address growing concerns over the many

* Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (1999). Executive Order No. 77, s. 1999. Retrieved at
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1999/03/04/executive-order-no-77-s-1999/

* Senate Office of the Secretary. (2011). PSR No. 440. Retrieved at
hhttps://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/111359482!.pdf

§ UNESCO. (2001). Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Helsinki,
Finland. Retrieved at https://whc.unesco.org/archive/repcom01.htmiriceterraces


issues surrounding the rapid deterioration of the rice terraces, in order to
determine whether remedial measures must be introduced to ensure that
the Ifugao Rice Terraces are sustainably protected.

Hence, this bill is proposed to address all these challenges.

MON-R. CHUNGALAO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

z 4487
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative SOLOMON R. CHUNGALAO

AN ACT CREATING AND ESTABLISHING AN IFUGAO RICE
TERRACES COMMISSION FOR THE RESTORATION, PRESERVATION
AND MAINTENANCE OF THE IFUGAO RICE TERRACES, THE ONLY
LIVING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE INSCRIBED IN THE
WORLD HERITAGE LIST IN 1995 BY THE UNITED NATIONS
EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION
(UNESCO) AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Creation and Establishment. - There shall be created
and established a Commission to be called the “Ifugao Rice Terraces
Commission”.

SECTION 2. General Mandate. - The Commission created and
established is mainly for the restoration, preservation and maintenance of
the Ifugao Rice Terraces in the municipalities of Banaue, Asipulo,
Hungduan, Mayoyao, and Kiangan in the Province of Ifugao.

SECTION 3. Composition of the Commission. - The Commission
shall be composed of the following, to wit:


Secretary of Tourism (DOT) Chairman
Secretary of Agriculture (DA) Vice Chairman
Secretary of DENR Member
Secretary of DPWH Member
Secretary of DILG Member
Provincial Governor of Ifugao Member
Congressman of Ifugao Member

A representative each from the business, agricultural, and religious
sector and non-government organizations (NGO) shall serve as consultants
to the Commission.

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA)
shall serve as the technical secretariat of the Commission headed by the
Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

SECTION 4. Functions and Responsibilities. - The Commission
shall have the following functions and responsibilities:

a) Immediately formulate a ten (10) year Ifugao Rice Terraces
Master Plan within one (1) year upon its creation and
establishment with the following guidelines:

1. Restoration, preservation, and maintenance of the area’s
terraces, protection of its ecological balance and enhancement
of its environment;

2. Maximum enjoyment and easy access of ordinary people to
public areas;

3. Rational land-use and zoning plan considering that the Ifugao
Rice Terraces are national treasure and tourist destinations of
Filipinos from all parts as well as foreign visitors;

4. Prohibition/control of usually tall, unstable, and obstructive
structures obscuring public view of the natural beauty of the
surroundings in accordance with the zoning ordinances of the
local government units concerned and subject to the pertinent
laws, rules and regulations on the matter;

5. Provision for massive reforestation facilities.

b) Formulate, coordinate and execute policies on the implementation
of all programs, projects and activities of the government affecting
or relating to the Ifugao rice terraces;

c) Initiate, plan, undertake and supervise the restoration,
maintenance and development of the rice terraces walls,
irrigations, dikes, paddies, watersheds, access roads and view
decks;


d) Provide livelihood opportunities as an alternate employment for
the constituents of these municipalities;

e) Sponsor and conduct cultural activities in the area;

f) To contract, lease, sell, dispose, acquire and own properties;

g) Receive, take and hold by bequest, device, donation, gift from
foreign and domestic sources, either absolutely or in trust for any
of its purpose any assets, grant or property, invest and reinvest
the same and deal with and expand its assets and income in such
manner as will best promote its objectives;

h) Enter into contracts with any private person or entity or any
government agency, either domestic or foreign, whenever
necessary for the effective discharge of its functions and
responsibilities under such terms and conditions as it may deem
proper and reasonable;

i) Provide grants for the conduct of historical, architectural or

scientific researches pertaining to the rice terraces and for other

Purposes in furtherance of its objectives;

Exercise all powers as maybe necessary, essential or incidental to

the attainment of its objectives.

SECTION 5. The Commission shall be provided an office space in the
DOT buildings and/or premises with office secretariat personnel to be
provided by DOT and headed by the DOT Secretary or his/her
representative.

A provincial office shall be established in the provincial capitol to be
provided by the Provincial Government of Ifugao.

SECTION 6. The Commission may call upon any government agency,
office or bureau for assistance in the discharge of, and form committees to
facilitate the performance of, its functions and responsibilities.

SECTION 7. Appropriations. - The appropriation and amount of
finance necessary to carry out the creation and establishment of the
Commission and for it to effectively implement its mandate, the same shall
be provided from the budget allocation of the Department of Tourism
(DOT); Department of Agriculture (DA); and Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR), to wit:

a) For the maintenance and operations of the Commission, the same
shall be provided from the budget of DOT to be sourced out from the
travel tax and/or MOOE the case maybe;


b) For the maintenance, preservation and restoration of the needed
irrigation systems for the terraces, as well as the restoration,
maintenance and preservation of the rice terraces paddies, the same
shall be taken from the budget allocations of the DA which shall not
be less than 50,000,000,00 PhP annually;

c) For the maintenance, preservation and reforestation of the sources
of water for the rice terraces, the same shall be taken from the
budget of DENR which shall not be less than 50,000,000.00 PhP
annually.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within
ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Commission shall
promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary for the effective
implementation of the Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any part or
provisions of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining
parts or provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTIO 29. Repealing Clause. - All laws, Decrees, orders, rules
and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 30. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of
general circulation.

Approved,