Almost eight years have passed before I visited again my favorite rice terraces- Batad, Ifugao. It’s terraced rice paddies were like walls protecting and surrounding a small Ifugao community below. It was a sight to behold, really. It will take your breath away- figuratively and literally.
Until…
Following is the entry I have in my moleskin:
February 19, 2012, 5:32pm
Batad Rice Terraces, Ifugao
Batad… Batad… I’m so glad we met again. It’s been eight long years since I last saw you. You are teeming with life- green and pristine that day.
Back then, on our trek to our accommodation, I don’t remember meeting groups of visitors along the trail. Yes, just two old farmers who came from the mountains (I treked Batad May of 2003 and 2004).
Now, I was surprised to see groups of people both Filipinos and foreigners, even one with a ‘boom-box’ as if he can’t leave his music in Manila (You came to Batad to party, party?). Tsk..tsk…
Before, a cup of local coffee was only Php10 and now I’m sipping a 30-peso one. Time has changed you, Batad. Before you are the most beautiful of all the rice terraces I saw. But now, I would say it’s in Kalinga.
Batad Rice Terraces (circa: 2004)
Batad Rice Terraces
I have seen a portion of landslide and I’m saddened that its not yet fix. I wondered, will it ever be?
A long time friend whom I met at the saddle told me about the 70+ people who came to help- for Badchang (Batad Weekend Warrior), which I am most thankful for, I wish it will continue until all are restored. (Except for the trash they left just beside the terraces they repaired). BADyan!
Badyan! That's 3-in-1 coffee sachets which Ifugao locals don't use because they brew their own.
By the way, I’m glad that the way from the junction to saddle is now fixed and heard that the trek to Tappiya falls is much better now. I guess I have to see that tomorrow.
Tappiya Waterfalls (circa: 2004). OLDSKUL!
Tappiya Waterfalls (circa: 2012) OLDLANG!
I want to reminisce the days when I carry 30kilos of load on a backpack that was lent to me by my cousin (it was big), a thin-boy who is just starting to explore his country, trying to learn the art of backpacking (from Kuya Bong and Kuya Gel). If I remember it right, I have Php1,800 back then for a 9-day trip to the north. Now I have Php500 to spare.
It was nice to see you again, your fog-covered-mountains, black pig family, red-mouthed uncles and your famed terraced-rice paddies.
I’m so sorry, but I have to say this- “It is as if your seeming timeless charm is about to end.”
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Here’s my theory why the terraces are slowly fading away. The young generation of Ifugao farmers took the easier path- to guide tourist (dude, its easy money at Php1,200/day) during a hike rather than planting rice and tending the terraces (before getting Php1,200 they have to work in the mountains for about a week). This is just a theory based on a talk I had with a local guide from Banawe.
___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___
After 8 long years, I visited Batad Rice Terraces in Ifugao during days 19 and 20 of my ISANG DAAN Journey.
#ISANGDAAN is a personal journey and challenge to backpack around the Philippines the cheapest way possible for 100 days. “Isang Daan” is a Filipino term that can mean either “one way” or “one hundred.”
If you want real time updates, you can check my facebook page: www.facebook.com/journeyingjames or follow me on twitter: @journeyingjames
If you want to follow my steps, I have an interactive map- ISANGDAAN Journey map.
awww.. kalungkot naman : (
Tama yan james. Hindi lang theory yan. ganyan talaga ang mga young ones pag nakatikim na ng ginhawa at wala ng mag mamana sa pagtatanim.:-).
sad but true sir… see you po in bukidnon
I hope to visit Batad one day and sana magpatuloy pa rin ang younger generation in preserving our natural treasure. Go on and continue with your 100 Days Journey James! Ang pasalubong mo sa amin yung mga kwento mo!
ayan napo ung mga pasalubong, basahin nyo nlng po…
salamat ng marami!
What? And I have not been there yet. What a pity. I hope our government does something about it. After all, it’s more fun in the Philippines DAW.
i dont want to comment on what the govt thing tita. we know naman kung anung gagawin nila, tutunganga (karamihan sa kanila) sad but true!
way back then, meron na din bang mga bahay sa gitna ng rice terraces? sabi nung nakausap namin, plinano daw dati na lahat ng bahay ay sa tabi lang and they should be Ifugao ancestral houses, but sadly ayaw daw ng community. and yes we have seen that landslide on the left side of the mountain ruining the view.
yes, its the icon of batad, the village at the center of the terraces.
you cant blame the ifugao community bec they want a sturdier house din. so who to blame? maybe the tourists?
Journeying James,
May I know more details about the trash you found at the rice terraces? I personally led the pioneering Batad Weekend Warrior (Batch 1) last Feb 18-19, 2012.
For your information, there were 26 pax of participants and I categorically DENY that the trash you reported doesn’t belong to our group. Should we have seen it, I would probably be more than happy to bring the trash to proper disposal as a mountaineer and environment advocate.
You may check the group’s picture documentation and see if there are any coffee. We ate boiled camote prepared by the locals. No coffee.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150621750337908.410701.668062907&type=1
I am writing you personally as I felt very offended how easily and convenient for you to label and judge the group’s noble intention.
For your information, ALL Batad Weekend Warrior Batches are arranged/ organized here in Manila and strict briefing, pre-climbs are held to ensure participants know what to do and behave.
I am one of the convener of Bachang together with John Chua and Ifugao Local Government so may I invite you to join a debriefing session with the core group in Makati soon this week.
You may reach me at 09177961378.
Hi sir mon!
I personally saw same trash that is posted here. We can say that its not your group who left those trash in batad.. But the fact that there’s trash that was left behind by the people who supposedly helping the community to restore the beauty of the rice terraces is actually dissapointing.. And I’m sure sir james just posted this to let people (nxt volounteers) be aware not to do same thing.
Sayang, it Batad lost its charm already… I think an action must be taken regarding its rice terraces – after all, its the first charming sight of the place that made it known for.
I am planning to join the Batad Volunteers to restore the terraces there, ang mahal nga lang ng fee 3K+ plus. Weird. I think there is a way to lower the fee a little bit if we can get help / donation from NGO’s and the government. If people who want to volunteer have the money to donate, then that’s well good. But there should also be an option to volunteer and help without paying for too much. I think lang. Diba, how about the students? There are a lot of people who want to devote the time and effort to rebuild Batad but are turned off by that big of a fee.
This is a sad post, really, Batad losing its charm.
I love that indie film about Batad, that’s why I really love to volunteer for the case. Can’t remember the title of the movie.
I just Googled, it’s Batad sa paang palay (2006).
Dear Urban Pinay and all those who maybe be a little misinformed of the efforts being done by the BATAD WEEKEND WARRIORS who I assume you mean by ‘Batad Volunteers.’ Our efforts to help restore the terraces are on a 100 percent volunteer basis. We don’t make any money from it. Our job here is to purely connect people who want to go up to people in Banaue and Batad. As for the cost being high it is what it is. this is purely based on the current cost of things up there and I agree that it is expensive that is why we are recommending to volunteers that they gather at least 20 pax to help make the cost more reasonable. Just to give you and idea here are some of the costs:
Bus to Banaue and back – P900
Jeep to Batad Saddle – P2500/roundtrip, if you stay overnight it would mean another P2500 for the jeep to come back and pick you up the next day
Lodging in Batad P200/Pax
Avg per meal P100-P150
Guides (Accredited P2500/guide) at 20 pax we recommend 2 guides for safety.
Just the jeep and guide alone makes it very prohibitive for singe volunteers. We use accredited guides because we are trying to establish a habit that can help improve tourism in the area (eventually we are hoping this can be lowered as well) That is why if there are individual volunteers who contact us we try and connect them with groups who are going up. Having said that, we are currently working with the different associations in Banaue to convince them to lower the prices for those who cannot find a big group.
For example, one of our current initiatives we are trying to establish is to create a regular trip to Batad in the morning at P150 for those individual travelers.
I don’t normally respond to Blogs but this time i felt i needed to say something to stop any further misconception about the efforts being done by the Batad Weekend Warriors. I hope my comments have some what given you a better understanding and if you want to discuss further pls feel free to contact me at : batadweekendwarrior@gmail.com.
PJ
Batad Weekend Warrior
09178549130
Yes, PJ. I understand that they are valid expenses and I did not mean that anyone takes profit from it. I was just saying that it’s too much big of a fee for some folks. As you said, if there is a way to lower the prices for those who cannot find a big group, that will be awesome. Thanks for your efforts to rebuild Batad. Sana I can join soon 🙂
I think folks are misconstruing the context of the word “expenses”. There is NO “fee”, but there are “expenses” you have to shoulder. Batad Weekend Warrior does not demand or require a fee. But it is expected that you pay for your own expenses going there, which will included transpo, guide, food and lodging.
The total amount you will need will depend on the size of your group and how long you plan to stay, whether you will bring your own food, etc, etc. If you have a van or you want to “car pool” then you don’t need to pay for the bus. If you want to spend only 1K, pwde actually, just have a good plan on how you are going to get there and survive on 1K.
So there is NO FEE
We went there to join the Bachang a week after your trip. I am also disappointed about the trash left by the volunteers. That was really bad. I’ll share your post to their page so that this won’t happen again. Our guide also mentioned about the young generation of Batad people are no more interested in planting rice and tending the rice terraces. Nakakalungkot talaga pero di naman natin sila masisisi. Nakakadisappoint din ang government kasi wala pang tulong the ginagawa para mapadali ang pag-ayos ng landslide damage rice terraces. Pagmag-landslide ulit (huwag naman sana), nakakatakot na pati village sa baba eh malandslide din.
Yes Anj I agree with you that leaving the trash behind is very bad and I join you in the call to all volunteers to clean up after them. But I would like to inform you that since we launched the Bachang Project BWW is only one of several volunteer groups to answer the call for help. To date there have been volunteers from the DOT, Military, Schools and Universities, other mountaineering groups and individual volunteers and foreign tourists. None of which BWW had any involvement. Sometimes there are even several on the terraces at the same time. Im just saying that it is a little irresponsible to assume right away that it was the Batad Weekend Warrior volunteers who left the trash then post that claim, arrogantly i might add, on our FB page. The people we are sending up are quite responsible and are not first timers. In fact the group accused of leaving the trash was headed personally by Mon Corpus, long time mountaineer, and visitor of Batad and Cambulo. He is the head of the Black Pencil Project that have made more than a handful outreach activities to the people and children of ifugao. That is probably why he took offense to being accused so openly. If we volunteers are being told to be more careful and responsible when going up to do our advocacy work then bloggers should also be careful and responsible when they post things on other peoples forums….don’t you agree…..its called respect.
My apologies Sir. I posted my comment without reading any comments on the blog post. I was assuming na di nyo pa po nabasa blog post ni Sir James that’s why i said i’ll let you know about it para maging aware po kayo. Good to know na hindi po sa Batch 1 yung trash.
We at BatadWeekendWarrior invite all of you guys to rehabilitate the damaged portion…..
Tayo tayo nalang po magtutulongan…. am sure the local government are doing their best to rehabilitate the Terraces. (may planong a tree planting already by the Local Government and DENR as per Brgy Capt. Romeo nung nakausap ko cya last Feb 25)
Let’s show to the locals na kahit tayong hindi mga taga doon ay gumawa ng initiative to restore it, am sure the young generations of Batad will then realize that they should also participate kasi if hindi mapreserve ang lugar wala ng reason para bibisita ang mga tourist wherein wala na rin silang iguguide…chain reaction ika nga.
yes, i’ve seen this place 21 years ago. it looks different now. there wasn’t any electricity then. and the houses below were nipa huts. now it’s cement and corrugated roofing, a sore to the eye. the younger generations now are either going to baguio or manila for work. it’s the same problem also with the banaue rice terraces. and the road going to batad used to be a trail to hike to from the batad junction. now they’re blasting the sides of the mountains to turn it into a road. sad, real sad:(
Nakakalungkot pre. Yung sinabi naman sa akin na problem nila ay yung younger generation ay nawawala na interest sa pagtatanim sa rice terraces. Masgusto na nila ng ibang trabaho at hindi lang ito sa Batad pero sa buong Cordillera. Hopefully, magkaroon ulit sila ng will para maging proud sa pagtatanim.
tama ka dyan pre.. kakalungkot talaga.
i am starting to be a budget-traveller din, mapuntahan ko sana yan 🙂
good for you! i hope you will visit batad soon mela 🙂
Batad is our treasure and we all need to pitch in to keep it as it once was. There is still hope! Planning to go back 🙂
i concur! yes, lets join hands together to rebuilt the terraces.
was there last Nov 2011. i was able to talk to a local from there and he mentioned some things why Batad has changed.
well, the landslide was due to the typhoons that hit the north and the kaingin system. dun sila nag susunog sa taas kasi sa baba may terraces. kaya yung hold ng lupa sa taas mahina plus remember the worms, naging factor din yun.
sabi nya it would take years before ma restore ang terraces.
most of the locals moved to lower land kasi mas madali sila kumita dun. hindi na kasi nila pwede iasa sa pagtatanim ng palay kasi yung tinatanim nila kulang pa sa kanila.
some of them also changed the variety of rice na tinatanim. yung original kasi (i don’t know what it is called) hindi kasing bilis at hindi kasing dami magbunga compared to the genetically engineered rice. since pinasukan na ng technology nagkaron na din ng pagbabago sa quality ng lupa. not all of them can afford fertilizers, not all of them can take the risk of staying there at umasa sa bigas…
sa pagdagsa ng turista, mostly foreigners, natuto sila ng ma madaling way para kumita. tama ka, isang araw na kita would take how many months kung sa rice para kitain.
As for the youth of Batad, maybe it’s not all about loosing interest on the terraces and just taking the easy way for money. Maybe they also wanted to have a better life as individuals.
sa pagbabago ng panahon, kailangan din sumabay sa alon. sana lang sa paglangoy, sa dagat pa din at hindi sa imburnal
it was nice to hear that you were able to ask around chat.
thanks for sharing your insights. lets just hope that the rice terraces will be restored
looking forward for the restoration of the terraces. more travels to you James… hands up to your 100days… after the Phils, you might want to consider 100 days of survival here in the Arctic 🙂
arctic? whew! that needs a lot of planning but why not? let’s see! thanks for bringing the idea up!
Sad to hear about this. I am planning a trip to Batad next week and am also glad that you are publicizing the the spot’s slow decline just so a lot more people would be more aware and would take care when they do go and visit places.
ask lang po, carry ba if i arrive in banaue around 730am, go to batad and back before 12nn? i need to catch the bus/jeepney going to bontoc…its my first time to travel banaue-bontoc-sagada route and first time to travel up north solo…
hindi po kaya yan to be back by 12noon. but i see other tourists do day trips where they go to batad and be back in the afternoon around 4pm. add 1 more day and please savor the places
i don’t like your comment on batad your a nice guide but your not a nice person don’t come to banaue then if you don’t like batad anymore go to kalinga its better for you i hate filipino back packers and media you don’t help your country you destroy the image and beauty of your own country by blogging stupid things and comment you all suck”s i hope i will not see your face in banaue again,
enjoy your life I HOPE YOU REALIZED WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT BATAD
:/ I was in Batad a few weeks ago and it was breathtakingly beautiful… until I turned my head and found they had spray painted on the rocks for elections…
shet! do you have photos?
Sorry, there was something about the article that was a little bit off but I couldn’t put my finger on it till today. I promise, i mean no disrespect with what I am about to say, its just ramblings…
In your article, one of the first things that was said was,
‘Back then, on our trek to our accommodation, I don’t remember meeting groups of visitors along the trail. Yes, just two old farmers who came from the mountains (I treked Batad May of 2003 and 2004).
Now, I was surprised to see groups of people both Filipinos and foreigners, even one with a ‘boom-box’ as if he can’t leave his music in Manila (You came to Batad to party, party?). Tsk..tsk…’
This part got to me in particular because I always have these kind of thoughts when I am traveling somewhere and suddenly it seems to be bombarded with tourists… but the truth is…. wow this sounds so bad, and i promise i dont mean it to be, I’m just not sure how to say this….
You are actually part of the problem that you complain so much about… NOT you in particular but travel bloggers, travel writers etc…. These were all once hidden places that are now so widely known because of all the people writing about it.
I dont mean this to sound so rude because honestly, I probably would have never been able to reach banaue if it wasnt for the Lonely Planet books…
i just… wanted to open your eyes a bit… i dont know if that makes sense…. okay i ramble. i done….
yep, we are part of the problem too.
sometimes when i get to visit a really beautiful place, i still blog it but i dont say how to get there or i put the remindersof how to take care of the place
This article inspired me to write a response. 🙂
http://eudaemonia101.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/batad-losing-her-charm/
I must say, Batad is not losing her charm. The people around her are just changing. The beauty of the rice terraces should not be perceived by the eyes alone but also by the heart and mind. I think that’s how you would fully appreciate it even with the eyesores surrounding it.
I would recommend you visit Bangaan. It’s not as popular as Batad but it has its own quiet charm and beauty. I met an elderly lady there Auntie Virginia Hangdaan. I learned a lot from her. I would’ve loved to stay longer but I was pressed for time.