THE HISTORY OF KALAWIT LAKE (LAKE GEORGE)

Sometime in 1995 when water was very scarce and there was a need for supply of water for the pastureland of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). Corn and grasses grown in the pastureland are feeds for the Carabaos that produces milk at the center. It was the scarcity of water supply that pushed the former center Director of PCC, Mr. George M. Realiza to plan and find ways to impound water enough to supply the needs of the center. He found this area (where the lake is now located) as potential for water impounding for there exist streams, brooks, creeks, and the forest above it.  To impound water, he should build a dam.

With meager funds the center has, George has to source out from other sources of funds to build the water impounding project.  Thru his insistence and perseverance, he was able to start his dream of having an adequate water supply for the Philippine Carabao Center. The Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte under the administration of then Governor Roldan Dalman lend George a bulldozer to build the earth dam from the mounts above the gullies where the stream, the brooks, and the creeks were located, earth and soil were moved by the bulldozer and the earth dam was built and slowly water was impounded. As time goes by, the volume of water has increased until it became a lake occupying an area of about eight (8) hectares and a depth of 25 meters at its deepest portion.

However, in 2017 during the inspection of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), they declared the lake as a potential hazard that when the earth dam breaks, there will be flash flood downstream which will place the community below vulnerable. The MGB recommended that the earth dam be reinforced with concrete or if not, be dismantled and deconstructed.

The Local Government Unit of Kalawit thru the leadership of the Hon. Salvador P. Antojado, Jr., finding the lakes potential for an Agri-eco Tourism Hub has to find ways to look for funds to reinforced the dam. The LGU then constructed the concrete dam to mitigate the potential hazard.

Today, after the conduct of a joint DENR and LGU Bio-diversity assessment of the lake and its surrounding, the 93 hectares of the lake and its surrounding area is now declared as protected area and the LGU as caretaker.

Slowly, we develop this area into an Agri-eco Tourism Hub. Because this a flowing lake, visitor can swim, rides the water bikes, kayaks, and raft. You can also have picnics on our floating cottages or just enjoy the view.