The Colawin Pump Irrigation System Association, Inc. (Colawin PISA) is now at the forefront of diversified and sustainable farming in the Visayas—officially validated as Region VII’s contender for NIA’s Most Outstanding Irrigators Association- Diversified Crops Category.
On June 3, 2025, the validation team from CARP-IC PMO visited Colawin to see firsthand how this hardworking group of farmers transformed their community through crop diversification, sustainability, and unity.
The validation team toured Colawin’s two model farms showcasing thriving high-value crops—owned by farmer-members Mr. Jopel M. Alcoba and Mr. Romeo Mendez—which stood as living proof of the IA’s transition to diversified farming. Visits to the main reservoir and the nearby Caibo Cold Spring highlighted the association’s effective water resource management, an essential component of sustainable agriculture.
With a remarkable 98% performance rating, Colawin PISA showed what it means to go beyond rice farming—expanding into high-value crops and maintaining year-round productivity. Colawin PISA now serves 540 agrarian reform beneficiaries across 7 barangays and irrigates 100 hectares of land.
From organizational struggles in its early years to a revitalized association with a clear vision for agro-enterprise, Colawin PISA, led by IA President Mr. Candido Caminero and with support from NIA-Cebu and CARP, this IA exemplifies what a focused, farmer-led group can achieve with support, unity, and vision.
As they await final results, Colawin PISA has already achieved something greater than an award—they have validated their impact in the field, in their community, and in the future of Philippine agriculture.