Panaon is located between the municipalities of Aloran in the north and Jimenez in the south. Panaon’s east is Iligan Bay and to the west is the Mt. Malindang Range.
It has 16 barangays and has a total land area of 4,600 hectares or 66 square kilometers. It is the second smallest among the 14 municipalities of Misamis Occidental. The town’s center or Poblacion is 27 kilometers north of the city of Ozamiz, the trade and commercial center of Misamis Occidental and is about 17 kilometers south of Oroquieta City, the provincial capital. It is easily accessible through the well-paved Ozamiz-Calamba-Dipolog national highway.
The early settlers of Panaon were believed to be the Subanons. The Subanons preferred to live along the “ Suba” meaning “river” to fish for food. Years later, resettlers coming from the Visayan region, particularly from the island of Mindanao. These emigrants flocked into this once sleepy village of Panaon.
For protection against pirates and kidnappings which were rampant during that time the people built a tower along the gulf to watch the incoming pirates. The villagers themselves shifted to guard the tower. By the time a pirates’ vinta was seen in a distance, a gong was sounded to inform the people and alert them with their bows and arrows. The moment the pirates stepped on the shores, the leader of the natives shouted “Panaon“, which means “shoot with bows and arrows.” This was the defense that drove the enemies away.
When the Spaniards came and asked for the name of the place, the barangay leader, thinking that the Spaniards were asking what the tower was for, answered “Panaon! This was how the town got its name.
The sixteen barangays of Panaon are the following: Saga, Bangko, Camanucan, Dela Paz. Lutao, Magsaysay, Map-an, Mohon, Poblacion, Punta, Salimpono, San Andres, San Juan, San Roque, Sumasap and Villalin.
