Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) signed the Implementing Rules for the Convergence Project for the Conservation of Philippine World Heritage Sites on Thursday, June 29, 2017. This is in fulfillment of the mandates of TIEZA and NCCA to protect, conserve, and preserve Filipino historical and cultural heritage and resources.

The Convergence project, which is set to begin this year until 2019, is envisioned to address identified conservation concerns in the World Heritage Sites. It will involve conservation works in the core zones and establishment of related/support infrastructures in the buffer zones of the World Heritage Sites.

Also in attendance was Mayor Jerry Dalipog of the Municipality of Banaue, Ifugao. The Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces located in the Municipality of Banaue are among those identified as Philippine World Heritage Sites.

Prior to the signing of the Implementing Rules, TIEZA and NCCA signed a Memorandum of Agreement last September 15, 2016 to take into account the obligations of both agencies to the project.