Climate change poses new threat to UNESCO rice fields in the Philippines | The Weather Problem

Ifugao, Philippines – At first light, the village of Batad begins to sway beneath the tall cliffs surrounding its rice fields, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Apu Penneng, and Ifugao elder who owns one of the largest rice fields in the village, bravely walks with young people along a narrow and steep path in a mountainous area 1,100 meters (3,608ft) above sea level.

Dressed in a traditional belt, shawl and headband, they head to Tanig, an early morning ritual before the harvest begins. In the square adjacent to the rows of huts, many village women also gather for the Bullogan chi Munbotoh, a journey to the harvest field.

Against the light of the rising sun, the centuries-old stairs finally appear as if they are falling from the sky. Tinawon’s rice paddies, wet from last night’s rain, glistened like gold pieces ready to be plucked.

But this interesting place looks like the ground has fallen and rocks, between the squares.

In November last year, Super Typhoon Fung-wong caused a flood that killed two local people and destroyed a canal that has been irrigating rice fields for hundreds of years. About 2.2 hectares (5.4 acres) of rice fields were destroyed, affecting 150 farmers.

“It was the worst we’ve seen here,” Apu Penneng said calmly, pointing to the deforested area above the steps. In the distance it looked as if it had been cut by a large bush.

The wreckage has become an unwelcome reminder to the villagers of the ravages of bad weather, which has been increasing in recent years.

Batad was also affected by landslides in 2011, 2023 and 2025. Due to the threat of Super El Nino this year, a climate that increases global temperatures and drives extreme weather and rain, the people of Ifugao are worried about more damage.

Around the world, 80 percent of UNESCO World Heritage Sites are facing climate change, according to an August 2025 study published in the scientific journal Nature.

The study found that UNESCO sites in low- and middle-income countries receive less funding, making them more vulnerable to climate change. It said that in tropical climates, these factors include extreme waves, prolonged droughts and sudden downpours – as happened in Batad in November 2025.

“Climate change is exacerbating the situation on the ground,” said lawyer Marlon Martin, head of the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO).

In order for the rice paddies to be stable and stable, the soil must have a high level of moisture throughout the year. But because of the recent drought, deep cracks have developed, causing the stairs to erode, Martin said.

“When it rains suddenly, water can suddenly enter cracks, causing erosion” and even landslides, he added, warning that a Super El Nino could only mean more problems in the future.

According to Steve Baccay, head of the Provincial Agriculture and Environment Office of Ifugao, $500,000 is needed for the reconstruction work in Batad following the landslide last November.

Since the accident, the residents of Batad have also gathered several times for a voluntary project called bachang to repair the collapsed irrigation canal.

The Departments of Health and Labor have also extended emergency and financial assistance to affected farmers. However, additional national government aid may not be available until next year.

Climate change is not new, and for hundreds of years the Ifugao people have adapted to the change by using modern technology to protect the terraces, Martin said. But for the Batad to withstand more and more bad weather, the country’s intervention is necessary, he added.

For the village chief of Batad, Romeo Heppog and his family, the rice paddies are not only a source of their livelihood, but a part of their life.

Organizing the annual rice harvest festival is his way of honoring their ancestors and renewing their “sacred oath” to preserve the fields for future generations.

During the sacred pre-harvest Tanig ceremony, Heppog watches next to Apu Penneng as Apu Buy-a Nadyug, Batad’s high priest known as Mumbaki, leads the harvest rituals, including pouring and drinking new rice wine.

Pressed on the ground next to the wooden Bulul, which contains the invisible spiritual beings of the Ifugaos, the octogenarian Apu Buy-a Nadyug recites verses seeking blessings and protection of the harvest.

With the help of a village head, Apu Penneng leads the slaughter of chickens as a symbolic sacrifice to the Ifugao ancestors and spiritual beings.

In one of the final acts of the one-hour sacred ceremony, Mumbaki Apu Buy-a Nadyug then looks at the intestines of the chickens, announcing another year of “bountiful harvests”.

Apu Penneng and Heppog then lead the beating of the gongs to signify happiness and usher in a happy harvest.

For a while, the worries of Batad villagers have been drowned out by the powerful noise that has been handed down from generation to generation.

Then Apu Penneng goes to his rice field to harvest. Amidst the uncertainty of his community, his face looks proud as he gazes at the beautiful Batad landscape.

In the distance, the 2,702-meter (8,865ft) Mount Amuyao, the country’s 10th highest peak, towers over Batad, as if protecting it from the dangers of nature.

“We will deal with this,” said Apu Penneng.