The stories behind our very own wonders are as equally fascinating as their architecture. But more than admiration, it is their protection and conservation which is of primary concern. When we travel and visit these places, we must remember to be respectful visitors.

1) BANAUE RICE TERRACES. For 2,000 years, the high rice fields of the Ifugao have followed the contours of the mountains. These ancient ricefields were built using knowledge and sacred traditions passed from generations to the next. It has created a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment. It has been mistakenly referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World.

2) KABAYAN MUMMIES. A few years ago, I had the privilege to go with the team of National Geographic to explore the mummy burial caves of Kabayan, which have been proclaimed as a National Cultural Treasure. The municipality is recognized as the center of Ibaloi Culture. Out of the several ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines, only the Ibaloi practiced mummification in preserving their dead.

3) CHOCOLATE HILLS. There are similar formations found in Java, Indonesia, but the conical and almost symmetrical and same-sized hills of Chocolate Hills in Bohol are more aesthetically extensive. They are even considered natural monuments.

4) SIERRA MADRE NATURAL PARK. It is the largest protected area in the country and the richest in terms of genetic, species and habitat diversity. Along the coast of Sierra Madre, in Palanan, Isabela, a small community of the Dumagat tribe resides with logging as their prime source of livelihood.

5) CORON ISLAND. The island has a rugged topography, generally mountainous and its terrain marked by steep rock and ravines. A large area is composed of karst formations where swiftlets dwell and build their nest.

6) APO REEF NATURAL PARK. Apo Reef is the second largest contiguous coral reef in the world and the largest one in the Philippines. It has a high diversity of corals and has an island covered with terrestrial vegetation.

7) BAROQUE CHURCHES. Four of the country’s Baroque churches are in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List, namely: San Agustin Church in Manila; Church of Nuesta Senora de la Asuncion in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur; Church of San Agustin in Paoay, Ilocos Norte; and Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo. Their unique architectural style is a reinterpretation of the European Baroque by Chinese and Philippine craftsmen.

8) BATANES. Characterized by a complex of terrestrial, wetland and marine ecosystem, the Batanes group of islands consist of 10 small islands. It is the only area in the country where traditional architecture is of stone rather than the more typical wood and bamboo commonly used in village architecture.

9) PALAWAN UNDERGROUND RIVER. This park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river’s distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea.

10) VIGAN. Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. It represents a unique fusion of Asian building design and construction with European colonial architecture and planning resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.