Affective relationships as non-material capital assets in building resilience within the rice-terraced cultural landscapes of the Philippine Cordillera

Abstract

Natural hazards and socioeconomic risks, including pandemics, necessitate robust resilience-building efforts. While physical infrastructure and financial resources are critical, the importance of intangible assets, particularly affective capacity, is often overlooked. This paper highlights affective capacity as an essential intangible asset for fostering resilience among Indigenous rice farmers in Mayoyao and Hungduan, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the northern Philippines. The research identifies various hazards impacting the geological and socioeconomic conditions of these farmers, generating cascading risks that require proactive resilience measures. Natural hazards like changing weather patterns and demographic challenges, such as an ageing population and youth outmigration, significantly affect these communities. The study emphasises the role of affective relationships in underpinning both inherent and acquired resilience. Indigenous rice farmers leverage their affective capacities through a well-established network of social capital derived from extended family ties and local community connections. This capacity is strengthened by semi-formal organisations, such as farmer groups and credit unions, which provide essential knowledge and access to financial resources. Additionally, farmers engage their affective capacities through rituals and ceremonies, reflecting the importance of emotional bonds with the spiritual world in resilience-building. State institutions must actively support these relationships to enhance adaptive capacities.