Mixed views on the Philippines' Ifugao Rice Terraces: ‘Good’ versus ‘beautiful’ in the management of a UNESCO World Heritage site

Abstract

This article concerns divergent visualisations about the Ifugao Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Philippines, which remain central to the economy and lives of the indigenous Ifugao. It focuses on the contrast between the Ifugao internal notion of ‘good’ and the visual emphasis on ‘beautiful’ associated with heritage bodies’ management and conservation of the terraced landscapes. These divergent visualisations frame various actors’ expectations of the terraces. In particular, this article features the community involvement in forums on mapping of core and buffer zones of the World Heritage clusters, and their responses to and criticisms of conservation initiatives in relation to their perceived impact on their livelihoods.