Drought reveals remains of old town

The remains of a ruined city in the northern Philippines have become a pop-up tourist attraction after resurfacing due to prolonged drought. Parts of a sunken church, old tombstones and foundations from the centuries-old town in Nueva Ecija province have emerged at a parched dam that has gone months without significant rain. The dry spell has affected about half of the country's provinces, with the Pantabangan Dam's water level roughly 50 metres lower than normal, AFP reported. Located about 200 kilometres north of the capital Manila, the newly visible town is providing a much-needed economic jolt to a region dependent on rice-growing. Some locals have cashed in by ferrying visitors to the little “island” attraction, according to Reuters. Fisherman Nelson Dellera said: “Back then I was earning 200 pesos ($5) from fishing, but now with the tourists I'm earning 1,500 to 1,800 ($35-$45 per day).” Retired nurse Aurea Delos Santos said the ruins have generated plenty of interest. “When I heard about the sunken church of old Pantabangan town resurfacing, I got excited and wanted to see it,” she said. An irrigation administration official said the settlement has resurfaced six times since the area was deliberately flooded in the 1970s, but this is the longest it has remained visible. The people of the old town were relocated to make way for the dam, which now serves as the main water and irrigation source for Nueva Ecija and surrounding areas.