The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through the Environmental Management Bureau, will conduct a public scoping meeting for the proposed P7.1 billion Lower Cabu Irrigation Project in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija on August 25, 2026.
Announced in an EMB website notice, the session will let project proponent National Irrigation Administration present the project overview and collect community concerns, feedback, and relevant input. Designed to draw water from the Cabu River, the initiative will irrigate 635 hectares of agricultural land, serving farming communities in Palayan City, Santa Rosa municipality, and Cabanatuan City—areas where agriculture remains the main source of livelihood.
The project aims to boost food security, secure livelihoods, and drive rural development across Central Luzon. Currently, most fields in the service area rely on rainfed rice; paddy rice and other crops grow in river plains using pump irrigation, while calamansi and other diversified crops are cultivated on sloping riverbanks and higher ground.
Plans call for a 25-meter-high earthfill zone storage dam capable of holding 5.607 million cubic meters of water, along with supporting structures, to ensure steady irrigation water delivery. Beyond farm production, the project is expected to provide domestic water to nearby households, open opportunities for ecotourism and recreation, and create jobs during both construction and operation phases.
Detailed engineering work and environmental permitting are underway, with the project targeted for completion between 2027 and 2030. NIA is the lead government agency tasked with developing water resources for irrigation nationwide.
