A UNESCO Secretary General shares cultural snapshots of go-to places within the country for different kinds of travelers.
This is an excerpt from Lifestyle Asia’s June 2023 Issue.
Ivan Henares wears many hats; besides being the country’s UNESCO Secretary General, he’s also a professor at the University of the Philippines and the head of Cultural Heritage under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
It’s clear that he possesses a strong passion for preserving the country’s traditions, having worked tirelessly to highlight its beautiful destinations and improve tourism. His meaningful advocacy is even present in the recreational activities he engages in.
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The accomplished professional has always been an avid traveler. In fact, he was one of the country’s earliest “travel bloggers,” far before the term became ubiquitous.
By 2010, Henares had visited 80 provinces in the Philippines, chronicling his adventures through a blog called “Ivan About Town” (which won the category Best Blog in 2007’s first Philippine Blog Awards). At present, he’s visited the two newest provinces of the archipelago— Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte— raising that number to 82.
“I have a personal interest to experience as much as I can, firsthand. You understand a lot more points of view when you go around,” shared Henares with Lifestyle Asia.
The UNESCO Secretary General is also fond of collecting local textiles during his trips, which are then made into unique garments. He’s amassed an impressive collection of roughly 100 fabrics over the years. His favorite ones include the vibrant Yakan textile of Mindanao, the colorful Inabel fabric of Ilocos, the intricate Cordillera weaves, the inimitable Hablon textile of Iloilo, and of course, the iconic Piña fabric of Aklan.
Having traveled across the Philippines’ 7,641 islands, Henares is a knowledgeable and trusted source of information when it comes to discussing the many beautiful destinations that the country has to offer. That’s why Lifestyle Asia asked him to recommend his top spots for different kinds of travelers who want to explore more of the Pearl of the Orient:
A GO-TO PLACE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD VISIT
When asked what local destination he’d recommend to everyone, regardless of who they are, Henares chose the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. A testament of human innovation, the natural marvel traces its roots to pre-colonial times and consists of five “clusters” of terraces.
“You get to experience indigenous Philippine culture and the work of the communities in Ifugao: how they were able to transform the landscape that they live in, in order to plant rice—despite the fact that it’s not a flat area,” shared Henares.
Upon seeing the UNESCO world heritage site for the first time, the educator was awe-struck. “I was amazed at what Filipinos can do; what our forefathers have been able to achieve by transforming the land that they live in,” he explained. “It’s a living cultural landscape that has nourished our indigenous communities in Ifugao for hundreds of years.”
A DESTINATION THAT’S PERFECT FOR THRILLSEEKERS AND ADVENTUROUS TRAVELERS
There are plenty of places around the country that offer thrills to adventurous travelers. Those looking for where to start can visit the sand dunes of Ilocos Norte. It’s here that travelers can go sandboarding across two of the destination’s most famous spots—the La Paz Sand Dunes in Laoag and the Paoay Sand Dunes in Paoay.
Henares described his sandboarding experience as “exciting,” while also highlighting the significance of the dunes. “The [La Paz] sand dune is also a National Geological Monument [as declared in 1993]. So it’s very geologically important to the Philippines,” shared Henares.
Read more by purchasing a copy of the Lifestyle Asia June 2023 magazine via SariSari.shopping or select newsstands in National Bookstore and Fully Booked. Subscribe to the E-Magazine via Readly, Magzter, and Press Reader.
Photos courtesy of Ivan Henares.
