Saturday, July 26, 2025

☕🌲 Discover Butuan City — where heritage meets highlands!

 ☕🌲 Discover Butuan City — where heritage meets highlands!

 

Nestled in the heart of Agusan del Norte, Butuan boasts the majestic Mt. Mayapay, a symbol of ancient history and natural beauty. Known as a rising coffee hub and part of Mindanao’s “Timber Corridor,” this city is blending tradition with eco-agri tourism.
 






Sip, hike, and explore the vibrant soul of Butuan!
 

Friday, July 25, 2025

San Roque Dam: Overview

San Roque Dam: Overview

📍 Location: San Manuel, Pangasinan, Philippines
🌊 River System: Agno River Basin
🎯 Purpose: Flood control, irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and water supply


🏞️ Main Tributaries (Water Sources Feeding Into the Dam):

San Roque Dam receives water primarily from the Agno River, one of the largest river systems in the Philippines. Its key tributaries include:

  1. Ambuklao River – upstream in Benguet

  2. Binga River – source near Itogon, Benguet

  3. Upper Agno River – the primary channel flowing from the Cordillera mountains

  4. Tuel River – a contributing tributary within the watershed

  5. Ipo River – a smaller tributary joining the main Agno stream

These tributaries converge and flow into the Agno River, which is dammed at San Manuel to create the reservoir for San Roque Dam.


🚰 Outlets (Where the Water Goes):

Once stored in the dam, the water is utilized or released through various outlets:

1. Spillway (Flood Control)

  • Releases excess water during heavy rains to prevent downstream flooding.

  • Flows into the lower Agno River, eventually reaching Lingayen Gulf.

2. Irrigation Outlet

  • Supports irrigation for around 708 km² of agricultural land in Pangasinan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija via the Agno River Integrated Irrigation System (ARIIS).

3. Powerhouse (Hydroelectric Energy)

  • The dam has a capacity of 435 megawatts, supplying electricity to Luzon Grid.

  • Water passing through turbines is released back to the river after generating power.

4. Domestic and Industrial Water Use

  • Regulates water supply downstream, which may be used by local communities and industries along the Agno River.


🌿 Environmental & Watershed Context:

The San Roque Dam watershed covers parts of Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, and Pangasinan, and is part of the Upper Agno River Watershed Forest Reserve—crucial for maintaining water quality and supply.


 

New Research Reveals the Real Story Behind the Ifugao Rice Terraces

 

The 2,000-Year Myth? Busted.
New Research Reveals the Real Story Behind the Ifugao Rice Terraces

For decades, we believed the majestic Ifugao Rice Terraces were over 2,000 years old. But new scientific findings are now rewriting that narrative.

According to UCLA archaeologist Prof. Stephen Acabado and heritage advocate Marlon Martin, recent studies show the terraces are likely just 200 to 400 years old. Through radiocarbon dating, soil analysis, and a close look at irrigation systems and crop remnants, they discovered no evidence of ancient rice farming in early Ifugao settlements like Old Kiangan Village. Instead, they found signs of taro — a crop that doesn’t require terraces at all.

So where did the 2,000-year claim come from? Early 20th-century American scholars like Roy Barton and H. Otley Beyer guessed based on migration theories and oral traditions — not science. Over time, these guesses became “facts” in textbooks and tourism campaigns.

But here’s the twist: the newer timeline doesn’t make the terraces less valuable — it makes them even more powerful. Built during the Spanish colonial era, they were a bold strategy by the Ifugao people to stay independent, preserve their culture, and resist colonial control.

“These terraces aren’t ancient relics — they’re proof of resilience, resistance, and ingenuity,” says Acabado. “A 200-year-old terrace tells an equally powerful story.”

This research shifts the spotlight from myth to meaning — celebrating not just how long the terraces have existed, but why they were built in the first place.

Originally published by Rappler.

#IfugaoRiceTerraces #PhilippineHeritage #HistoryUncovered #CulturalPride #ResilientPH #HeritageNotHype