DID YOU KNOW?

Long Before the Philippines Became a Nation, This Dam Was Already Sustaining Farmers in Misamis Occidental

 

PLARIDEL, Misamis Occidental — For more than 150 years, the Nazareno-Gamutan Dam and Irrigation System has done more than deliver water—it has sustained livelihoods, strengthened communities, and secured harvests for generations of farmers in Plaridel.

Its story began in 1872, when Nazareno Namocatcat, a migrant from Bohol, envisioned bringing water from the Langaran River to the municipality’s farmlands. Together with about 30 pioneering settlers, he built the first diversion canal using only stones, timber, and indigenous engineering techniques. Their determination laid the foundation of what is now known as the Nazareno-Gamutan Irrigation System (NGIS).

The group they established eventually became the Nazareno Gamutan Agricultural Development Irrigators Association (NGADIA)—recognized today as the first farmers’ organization in the Municipality of Plaridel.

More than a century and a half later, the irrigation system continues to irrigate nearly 1,000 hectares of farmland and serves more than 3,000 farmers, making it one of the most important agricultural lifelines in Plaridel. Every drop of water flowing through its canals represents productive rice fields, stable incomes for farming families, and greater food security for the community.

What makes the Nazareno-Gamutan Dam truly remarkable is not only its age but also the enduring tradition behind it. Long before concrete diversion structures existed, farmers known as the “Pahinante,” together with the Cabicilla Leaders, gathered before every planting season to rebuild the stone diversion dam by hand, ensuring that water reached every field. This unique tradition of cooperation has been passed down from one generation to the next and continues today under the stewardship of NGADIA.

In an era of climate change, unpredictable weather, and rising agricultural costs, the Nazareno-Gamutan Dam remains as relevant as ever. It is more than a historic landmark—it is a vital source of irrigation that helps farmers increase productivity, protect their livelihoods, and strengthen the local food supply.

Today, the Nazareno-Gamutan Dam stands as a living monument to Filipino ingenuity, community cooperation, and agricultural resilience. For over 150 years, it has continued to flow—not only with water, but with a legacy of perseverance that still nourishes the fields and the future of Misamis Occidental.