A UNESCO Wonder Under Threat: Inside the Philippines' Fight to Save the Batad Rice Terraces
High in the Philippine mountains, the village of Batad wakes to a stunning sight: ancient rice terraces that cascade like golden staircases into the clouds. For centuries, the Ifugao people have farmed these UNESCO World Heritage rice paddies, maintaining a way of life rooted in tradition. But last November, Super Typhoon Fung-wong tore through the terraces, triggering a landslide that killed two locals, destroyed a centuries-old irrigation canal, and damaged more than five acres of rice fields. For elder Apu Penneng, it was the worst disaster he had ever witnessed.
The wreckage is a grim warning. Batad has been hit by landslides in 2011, 2023, and again in 2025. Now a Super El Niño threatens to bring record heat and sudden downpours, cracking the soil and making the terraces prone to erosion. A recent study published in Nature found that 80 percent of UNESCO World Heritage Sites face climate-related stress, with those in low- and middle-income countries receiving the least support. “Climate change is really aggravating the situation on the ground,” says Marlon Martin of the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement.
To restore the damaged areas, an estimated $500,000 is needed. While residents have come together for voluntary repairs and government agencies have provided emergency aid, national funding may not arrive until the next fiscal year. The terraces require consistent moisture to stay stable, but worsening dry spells followed by sudden rains are causing deep cracks and soil collapse. Without intervention, the ancient engineering that has sustained these fields for generations could be lost.
Yet amid the uncertainty, the community’s spirit endures. At a recent pre-harvest ritual, village chief Romeo Heppog and elder Apu Penneng joined the Mumbaki priest in offerings of rice wine and chicken, seeking blessings for a bountiful harvest. As gongs echoed across the valley, Penneng looked out over the terraces—Mount Amuyao towering in the distance—and smiled. “We will get through this,” he said. For now, the rhythm of tradition drowns out the worries, and the harvest goes on.