Ifugao province

Ifugao province, located in the Philippines, is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising five networks of rice terraces inscribed in 1995. These ancient agricultural marvels are currently facing significant threats from climate change and extreme weather events, which are undermining the efforts of the local Ifugao people to preserve their heritage. Compounding these environmental challenges, farmers in Ifugao, such as those in the town of Tinoc, are experiencing severe economic hardship due to soaring fuel prices. This has led to a situation where the cost of transporting produce to market outweighs the meager earnings from sales, as exemplified by a farmer who sold 10 tonnes of cabbage for minimal profit after a long journey. The province's newsworthiness stems from the dual crises of environmental vulnerability and economic distress impacting its cultural heritage and agricultural communities.