Naglaan ang gobyerno ng P1 billion para palakasin ang artificial intelligence (AI), real-time hazard monitoring, at predictive flood forecasting ng Project NOAH, sa layuning mabigyan ng mas maagang babala ang mga komunidad bago lumala ang pagbaha at iba pang sakuna.
Ayon sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM), inilabas ang pondo sa University of the Philippines (UP) System para palawakin ang kakayahan ng Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards o Project NOAH, na pinamamahalaan ng UP Resilience Institute (UPRI).
“This P1-billion investment in Project NOAH is an investment in prevention. We are putting science, AI, and real-time hazard information to work so government can act earlier, communities can prepare better, and more Filipino lives and livelihoods can be protected,” sabi ni DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon.
Sa P1-billion allocation, P935 million ang mapupunta sa research services, habang P65 million ang para sa general management at supervision.
Kukunin ang pondo mula sa appropriation ng UP System sa ilalim ng 2026 General Appropriations Act.
Saklaw ng budget ang procurement at deployment ng ICT, digital, technical, at scientific equipment, pati ang pagkuha ng specialized technical personnel at pagtatayo ng operational support systems.
Gumagamit ang Project NOAH ng AI-enhanced models, LiDAR mapping, data analytics, at iba pang digital technologies para gumawa ng real-time hazard assessments at predictive flood scenarios.
“Hindi natin kailangang hintayin na tumaas ang tubig bago tayo kumilos. The goal is to know where the danger is, who is at risk, and what needs to be done before disaster strikes,” sabi ni De Leon.
Target ng upgraded system na matulungan ang national government agencies at local government units (LGUs) na matukoy nang mas maaga ang mga lugar na posibleng bahain, mapahusay ang early warnings, at makapagdesisyon bago tumindi ang hazards.
Bukod sa flood forecasting, nagsasagawa rin ang UPRI ng research at development sa disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, at hazard assessment.
Para sa DBM, may fiscal benefit din ang mas maagang forecasting dahil maaaring mabawasan ang pinsala sa roads, public buildings, utilities, at iba pang government infrastructure.
“The best disaster management is when we are able to prevent disasters from becoming a catastrophe. Every peso we invest in better forecasting and preparedness can help save lives, protect livelihoods, and avoid far greater losses later on,” sabi ni De Leon.
“We cannot stop typhoons or heavy rains from coming, but with the right information at the right time, we can reduce their impact. That is what we want public funds to deliver — not simply resources after a disaster, but greater protection before it happens,” dagdag niya.
Nauna nang nakipagtulungan ang DBM sa UP NOAH para gamitin ang disaster risk reduction data sa Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation o Project DIME, na gumagamit ng digital technologies para bantayan ang government-funded infrastructure projects at ang exposure ng mga ito sa landslide at flooding risks.
Sa bagong pondo, layunin ng Project NOAH na makapagbigay ng mas mataas na kalidad ng hazard forecasts at risk assessments para sa early warning, disaster preparedness, emergency response, at infrastructure planning. /Bistado