By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
With digital technologies hailed as the next logical step in effective disaster management, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) leads the way in funding crucial initiatives to shift from a reactive to proactive approach when calamities strike.
This, as the agency released P1 billion to the University of the Philippines in support of Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards), reinforcing the Marcos Jr. administration’s push towards utilizing science-based solutions in anticipating risks and mitigating hazards.
Of the P1-billion release, chargeable against the University’s built-in appropriation under the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act, P935 million will support research services, while P65 million will fund general management and supervision for the implementation of Project NOAH.
The funds will be allocated towards establishing operational support systems backed by critical ICT, digital, technical, and scientific equipment and infrastructure manned by highly specialized personnel, to boost the country’s disaster forecasting and hazard assessment capabilities .
Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said in a statement, “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.”
Implemented by the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI), Project NOAH advances disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation and mitigation through research, development, and extension services.
The program harnesses AI-enhanced modeling, LiDAR mapping, data analytics, and other digital technologies to generate real-time hazard assessments, predictive flood scenarios, and science-based information that can help national government agencies and local governments make faster and better-informed decisions before and during emergencies.
The Budget Chief concluded, “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.”
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