Kenney vows to help protect Banaue rice terraces
Posted on December 13, 2007
ILAGAN, ISABELA, Dec. 13 (PNA) — United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney has confirmed foreign help to preserve the Banaue rice terraces in Ifugao, dubbed as one of the eight wonders of the world, to prevent it from being stricken off from the United Nations’ Heritage Site list.
Kenney, who visited Isabela Wednesday and Ifugao the next day, said foreign environment experts have been in the country to meet with other environmentalists and local folks to help preserve the traditional architecture of the rice terraces.
She said that the United States’ Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation has been used for safeguarding the project.
The International Council at Monuments and Sites has organized an international conference to design best ways to protect the endangered rice terraces in the Cordilleras, she added.
Kenney said the conference-workshop, which seeks to safeguard the rice terraces in the Cordilleras, will nurture partnership and will explore ways to increase public awareness about the cultural heritage of the site as means for sustainable and community based tourism industry for local folk.
“The rice terraces in the Cordillera are among the great landscapes in the Philippines, preserving these terraces requires great challenge,” she said.
She said the fund was established in 2001 to help developing countries in preserving cultural heritage sites and were demonstrated US respect for other cultures.
The terraces in the Cordillera have been bugged with reports of worm infestation and other threats to its current status, environmentalists noted.
Kenney met with at least 300 Isabela folk, mostly provincial government workers in her visit.
She was later given a provincial board resolution, thanking her for the visit. (PNA)
» Filed Under Heritage Watch, News
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2 Responses to ”Kenney vows to help protect Banaue rice terraces”
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That’s good news indeed. What saddens me however is the fact that we need foreign intervention to preserve our own culture and heritage. Vigan wouldn’t be that grand if not for the support of Spanish Government. Why can’t our government preserve our national treasures?
oh well, it’s realoly sad to admit. but it seems that the phil goverment has other priorities. and restoration and maintenance of heriatege sites at the end of the line.