Urban Expansion and Agricultural Land Change Patterns in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija (2015–2025): A GIS-Based Analysis of Geoportal Data
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Land use and land cover (LULC) changes have become an important concern in rapidly developing areas because of their implications for environmental sustainability, agricultural resource management, and urban planning. In Gapan City, Nueva Ecija, increasing urban expansion and infrastructure development may influence the transformation of agricultural lands into built-up areas, making it necessary to assess recent land cover patterns. This study aimed to analyze the land use and land cover of Gapan City in 2015 and 2025, determine dominant land cover categories, quantify changes in area and percentage distribution, and identify spatial patterns using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. Secondary spatial datasets from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority Geoportal were processed in QGIS through clipping, reprojection, area calculation, percentage computation, and comparative map analysis. Findings show that built-up areas increased by 21.77%. However, despite a 4.27% decrease, annual crops remained the dominant land cover in Gapan City, while grassland showed the highest growth (160.18%). Fishponds and inland water also increased, although fishpond growth reflects a small baseline value. Brush/shrub and perennial crops declined. Based on visual comparison of generated GIS maps, spatial changes were concentrated near the city proper and along transportation corridors. Results indicate spatial trends rather than exact measurements.
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