by Zaldy Comanda
BANAUE, Ifugao – The Terraces Restoration Initiative United Movement for the Preservation of the Heritage (TRIUMPH) are making efforts to rehabilitate 540 hectares of the famed Banaue Rice Terraces with the aid of different organizations.
According to Mayor Jerry Dalipog, the effort will focus on the part of the terraces that have been abandoned by their owners due to various problems including natural calamities.
TRIUMPH’s efforts include the installation of a “chawa,” a 40-man team that will clean and fix the stone walls of the terraces; and also plant rice therein.
“We hope to finish the project in two years,” said Dalipog.
He said the project started in 2016 as a program between the LGU and the owner of the abandoned fields with an agreed 50-50 percent sharing in the harvest.
He added that as of now, they have already rehabilitated about 20 hectares of the terraces with eight hectares having already been planted with rice, which is expected to be harvested in July.
He said the program was made possible with the help of Milagros Ong-how of Universal Harvest Inc. (UHI) who pledged P3-million for the efforts.
