Project NOAH Gets ₱1-Billion Boost to Predict Disasters with AI

MANILA, Philippines — In a major leap toward science-driven disaster prevention, the Philippine government has officially released ₱1 billion to the University of the Philippines (UP) System to upgrade Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) with artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time hazard forecasting capabilities.

Announced by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the funding reinforcement aims to shift the country’s disaster response strategy away from reactive post-calamity relief and toward early, data-informed intervention before floodwaters rise.

Project NOAH, operated by the UP Resilience Institute, combines satellite data, high-resolution mapping, and meteorological inputs to map natural hazards nationwide.

Key Highlights of the ₱1-Billion Allocation

The funding, sourced from the UP System’s built-in appropriation under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, provides critical infrastructure and research backing to scale up predictive technologies.

Shifting from Reactive Relief to Early Prevention

For decades, natural disaster management in the Philippines has often centered on post-typhoon relief and emergency response operations. The new funding injection marks an official policy shift toward pre-disaster mitigation.

“We do not need to wait for floodwaters to rise before we take action. The goal is to know where the danger is, who is at risk, and what needs to be done before disaster strikes,” stated DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. de Leon.

“This ₱1-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.”

De Leon emphasized that investing in early warning systems saves taxpayers significantly more than rebuilding damaged infrastructure after severe weather events.

How AI and Technology Will Upgrade Flood Forecasting

Managed by the UP Resilience Institute, Project NOAH utilizes a suite of modern technologies to generate actionable hazard data:

• AI-Enhanced Predictive Modeling: Machine learning algorithms will analyze incoming weather patterns, historical rainfall data, and river basin telemetry to predict flood depths hours or days in advance.
• LiDAR High-Resolution Mapping: Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) topography allows researchers to map ground elevation with centimeter-level precision, revealing exact inundation pathways.
• Barangay-Level Hazard Alerts: By refining spatial models, warnings can be localized down to specific municipalities and barangays, informing local government units (LGUs) when and where to execute targeted preemptive evacuations.
• Smarter Infrastructure Planning: Beyond immediate storm alerts, Project NOAH’s hazard data will guide government agencies in designing flood control structures, preventing wasteful public works spending on ineffective barriers.

Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Public Resources

With dozens of typhoons hitting the Philippine archipelago every year, severe flooding frequently devastates agriculture, commercial trade, and residential communities. DBM officials noted that integrating UP NOAH’s predictive analytics into public expenditure monitoring will help protect government assets and direct flood mitigation funds where they are required most.

“We cannot stop typhoons or heavy rains from coming, but with the right information at the right time, we can reduce their impact,” De Leon added. “That is what we want public funds to deliver—not simply resources after a disaster, but greater protection before it happens.”