2.1.

The Land
2.1.1. Land Use and Classification
Central Luzon, the region that comprises the largest plain lands in the country has a total
area of 22,014.63 km2. Approximately forty-one percent of its total land area are
agricultural plains with rice as the major crop. Majority of the rice production in the
region can be attributed to Nueva Ecija. This high annual rice production led to the
province and the region be hailed as the Rice Granary of the Philippines.
2.1.2 Topography
The topography of Nueva Ecija starts with the southwestern marshes near the Pampanga
border. Plain flatlands are characteristic in the area and are then slowly increasing in
elevation to rolling hills as it approaches the mountains of Sierra Madre in the east, and
the Caraballo and Cordillera ranges in the north. A wide expanse of alluvial plain
covering more than one-half of the whole province is prevalent in the area. The alluvial
plains can be located in the central, western, and southwestern areas bordered by the
provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan. The rolling uplands are in the eastern,
northern, and southeastern parts of the province. It is bordered by a part of rugged and
complex topography of Caraballo Mountains in the north which tend to divide the
boundary between the province and Nueva Viscaya and the Sierra Madre Mountain range
in the east. Small non-active volcanic cones can also be found near the boundaries of
Pangasinan and Nueva Viscaya.

2.1.3 Geophysical Hazard Potentials

Generally, the province of Nueva Ecija has only a medium level in the combined risk to
geophysical disasters as shown in the following figure. This combined risk is a result of
merging together the risks for earthquake, landslides, volcanic eruption and tsunamis.
The province of Nueva Ecija has no leading active fault lines and has no volcanoes in the
immediate vicinity. As previously described in its topography, the province is free from
the possibility of major landslides since most of it are plain flatlands. Furthermore, being
situated at the middle of the much bigger island of Luzon, Nueva Ecija is landlocked and
this means that it is almost certainly safe from tsunamis. To support the attached figure
for the combined risks, detailed landslide and flood hazard maps for San Jose City, Nueva
Ecija are attached.

2.1.4 Geology
The plain flatlands of the provinces in the region is made up of recent alluvial deposits of
various materials. The depths of these deposits differ in several places according to the
elevation of the area. According to the Geology and Mineral Resources of Nueva Ecija by
Leonardo R. Antonio, the absence of gravel, cobble-stones, and pebble in the rock layer
show that these deposits were made by slow-moving streams. Additionally, the mountains
in the northern part consist of tertiary undifferentiated rocks, while those on the eastern
sides consist of tertiary and later effusive rocks of rhyolites, dacites, and basalts.
2.1.5 Flora
Land use in the province of Nueva Ecija is predominantly agricultural with scattered
patches of shrubs and smaller-sized species of trees. The current existing conditions of
the area explain that the present ecosystems can be most likely, characterized by
relatively very low to low species diversity and an impaired rate of ecological functioning
with reason being the numerous human interventions and disturbances brought about by
the various land and farming activities. The proposed Project location and its neighboring
zones represent a region of low ecological significance or importance in terms species
diversity.
2.1.6 Fauna
Almost similar to the assessment for flora, the existing faunal conditions is characterized
after assessment to possibly have relatively very low to low species diversity. The reason
for this is also because of the activities of human intervention, such as farming and other
agro-industrial activities. There are no critical wildlife habitat areas that will be come

across to or disturbed. The vicinity of the proposed Project is already transformed to

agricultural-classified farmlands. The possible domesticated animals present in the area
can either serve as farm animals such as poultry, livestock, and pets.
Anticipated Impacts
Geology
The project area, will possibly be affected by earthquakes of low intensities from the
minor fault lines in the region.
Topography
Minor geographical changes are expected at the Project construction site, and disposal
site of excavated earth materials. Topographical changes by embankment may cause flow
or retention of surface water.
Land Use
Approximately 38 hectares of land utilized for rice plantations will be lost because of the
Project implementation.
Flora and Fauna
Removal of the rice lands will cause a possible migration of farm pests, insects, and other
wild animals to adjacent and distant areas. The benefits from the removed and replaced
shrubbery and trees will be decreased.

Solid Waste Disposal

The solid wastes produced from use of materials in the facilities such
as the offices, cafeteria, and comfort rooms will be segregated in a
garbage dump facility on the compound of the Project and will be
picked-up by the citys garbage collectors to the designated landfill
sites. Leachates can possibly be a resulting impact of the Projects
garbage dump facility.