Baguio: Across the Cordillera, rice is more than a crop - it is a living heritage that carries the breath of ancestral rituals, community ties and deep reverence for the land. And as cultural preservation efforts deepen across the region, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said heirloom rice, an integral part of Cordilleran identity, is firmly part of the movement to protect tradition.
According to Philippines News Agency, May Ann Tuba-ang, head of the Agribusiness Promotions Section of DA-CAR's Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division, highlighted that Cordilleran heirloom rice commands a high value because it is inseparable from the region's culture. "We can command higher prices because it is tied to our traditions," she said in an interview.
In Ifugao, every step of rice production, from planting to harvest, directly determines the rituals communities perform. Many terrace owners inherited both the land and the rice varieties that come with it, creating a link to ancestors, clan lineage, and cultural obligation. In Mountain Province and Benguet, heirloom grains form the foundation of tapuey (rice wine), an essential element in rituals performed from birth to death.
The Cordillera's heirloom rice is also grown manually, from tilling of the land to planting and harvesting without the aid of machines, making production more costly. "The hand labor aside from the five to seven months growing time is a challenge for young farmers, but their elders encourage planting of their fields as a tradition and with the land coupled with the seeds handed down from generations," Tuba-ang explained.
Lawyer Josh Nalliw, an advocate for the preservation of the Mayoyao, Ifugao rice terraces, expressed that cultural duty kept her tied to the land even while building her career. "It would be shameful not to plant what we inherited," she said. Despite a busy schedule, Nalliw continues to participate in planting seasons, nurturing what was passed down to her.
However, sustaining heirloom rice production faces challenges. Tuba-ang admitted that elders often struggle to convince youth to continue the tradition, especially when commercial rice farmers receive more interventions, while heirloom farmers rely heavily on manual labor and cultural motivation.
To address this, the Heirloom Rice Development Program will commence in 2026, involving multiple agencies for agri-tourism, research, technology, processing, marketing, and funding. Farmers will receive training to produce traditional heirloom rice seeds procured by local government units (LGUs) for local farming programs.
The urgency is palpable, as some heirloom rice varieties have already disappeared due to abandoned terraces, leaving only around 428 traditional varieties remaining. Efforts are underway to establish LGU-managed seed banks to ensure the availability of planting materials, given that certain varieties can only thrive in specific soils and conditions.
In Mayoyao, Ifugao, the local government has launched the Rice Terraces Restoration Program (RTRP) to revive abandoned terraces. Municipal agriculturist Clyde Bangligan stated that Mayor Jimmy Padchacan emphasized the importance of terraces being planted with rice. The initiative allows farmers to plant on abandoned terraces with the owner's permission, aiming to restore productivity while preserving cultural landscapes.
