Ifugao / Mayoyao
The rice terraces are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao by ancestors of the indigenous people. The rice terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometres of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces.
Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and younger Ifugao do not find farming attractive. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care.
Threatened by gradual deterioration, the terraces are now facing a harrowing future, one that is a stark contrast of its glorious heritage. Deforestation has resulted in erosion and the destruction of the irrigation system in some areas, while the changing values of modernization have incited farmers to abandon their land.
About 1/3 of the Rice Terraces are currently damaged, according to the Provincial Government of Ifugao which were declared by UNSECO as Heritage Sites: Banaue, Kiangan, Hungduan, and Mayoyao. All four sites boast of majestic rice terraces areas amidst misty mountains.
Some are now noticeably grassy, non-productive, and have been abandoned. Changing lifestyles have caused some families to pursue other jobs or migrate to nearby provinces, such that the population of Ifugao has decreased, and less people are left to cultivate the land.
In 1994, UNESCO issued a warning to the government that if the Philippines cannot preserve the Rice Terraces, then it will be de-listed from the World Heritage Sites. Consequently, it has been listed among the world's "endangered" sites. Since then, two administrations have passed, and several "master plans" have been crafted to address the problem, but no significant actions have been conducted to revive and preserve the former glory of the Terraces.
Source: Wikipedia and Sol Jose Vanzi.


