The old town of Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija, submerged in the 1970s during the construction of the Pantabangan Dam, has resurfaced due to significant drops in the dam’s water levels. Drone imagery captured the remnants of the town, including the former municipal hall and church, now visible as a small islet in the reservoir.
This phenomenon has sparked curiosity and drawn tourists, although authorities have restricted close access to the site for safety reasons. The current water level at Pantabangan Dam stands at negative 44.67 meters above sea level, a drastic decrease from its typical high water mark.
The National Irrigation Administration’s Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (NIA-UPRIIS) is actively addressing the potential implications on irrigation, considering cloud seeding initiatives to augment water supply through April to June. On the flip side, the receding water has allowed local farmers like Junior Santos to cultivate newly exposed land, offering a brief window for agricultural activity in the area.