The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P1 billion to the University of the Philippines (UP) System to strengthen Project NOAH’s AI-powered flood forecasting, real-time hazard monitoring, and disaster prevention capabilities, giving government and communities better tools to anticipate threats and act before lives and livelihoods are put at risk.

 

The funding reinforces the Marcos Jr. administration’s push to shift disaster management from responding after calamities strike to using science, technology, and data to anticipate risks and prevent hazards from becoming disasters.

 

“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,” DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon said.

 

“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,” he added.

 

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 funding will support the procurement and deployment of critical ICT, digital, technical, and scientific equipment; the engagement of highly specialized technical personnel; and the establishment of operational support systems needed to strengthen the country’s hazard assessment and forecasting capabilities.

 

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.

 

For De Leon, strengthening disaster prevention is also a matter of protecting public resources, as major disasters can destroy homes, livelihoods, infrastructure, and years’ worth of government investments in a matter of hours.

 

“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,” De Leon said.

 

“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,” he stressed.

 

DBM has also previously partnered with UP NOAH to integrate disaster risk reduction strategies into the Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME), helping assess the exposure and resilience of government infrastructure projects to natural hazards.

 

The latest release builds on that partnership by strengthening the scientific and technological capabilities needed to translate hazard data into earlier warnings, better planning, and faster action on the ground.

 

 

Naglabas ang Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ng P1 bilyon sa University of the Philippines (UP) System upang palakasin ang AI-powered flood forecasting, real-time hazard monitoring, at disaster prevention capabilities ng Project NOAH. Layunin nitong bigyan ang pamahalaan at mga komunidad ng mas mahusay na instrumento upang maagang matukoy ang mga banta at makakilos bago malagay sa panganib ang mga buhay at kabuhayan.

 

Inaasahang susuporta ang pondo sa pagsusulong ng administrasyong Marcos Jr. na baguhin ang disaster management, mula sa pagtugon matapos tumama ang kalamidad tungo sa paggamit ng siyensya, teknolohiya, at datos upang maagang matukoy ang banta at maiwasang mauwi sa sakuna at panganib.

 

“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,” pahayag ni DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon.

 

“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,” dagdag niya.

 

Sa kabuuang P1-bilyong pondong inilabas, na manggagaling sa built-in appropriation ng Unibersidad sa ilalim ng FY 2026 General Appropriations Act, P935 milyon ang ilalaan para sa research services, habang P65 milyon naman ang gagamitin para sa general management and supervision ng pagpapatupad ng Project NOAH.

 

Susuportahan ng pondo ang procurement at deployment ng critical ICT, digital, technical, at scientific equipment; engagement ng highly specialized technical personnel; at pagtatatag ng operational support systems na kinakailangan upang higit na mapalakas ang hazard assessment at forecasting capabilities ng bansa.

 

Sa implementasyon ng UP Resilience Institute (UPRI), isinusulong ng Project NOAH ang disaster risk reduction and management at climate change adaptation and mitigation sa pamamagitan ng research, development, at extension services.

 

Ginagamit ng proyekto ang AI-enhanced modeling, LiDAR mapping, data analytics, at iba pang digital technologies upang makabuo ng real-time hazard assessments, predictive flood scenarios, at science-based information na makatutulong sa national government agencies at local governments na gumawa ng mas mabilis at mas maalam na mga desisyon bago at habang may emergencies.

 

Para kay Secretary De Leon, ang pagpapalakas ng disaster prevention ay usapin din ng pangangalaga sa public resources, dahil maaaring sirain ng malalaking sakuna sa loob lamang ng ilang oras ang mga tahanan, kabuhayan, imprastruktura, at mga taon ng government investments.

 

“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,” pahayag ni Secretary 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,” pagbibigay-diin niya.

 

Nauna na ring nakipagtulungan ang DBM sa UP NOAH upang maisama ang disaster risk reduction strategies sa Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME), na tumutulong sa pag-assess ng exposure at resilience ng proyektong imprastraktura ng pamahalaan sa mga natural hazards.

 

Ang latest release na ito ay nagpapatuloy sa pagtutulungan ng DBM at UP NOAH sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalakas ng scientific at technological capabilities na kinakailangan upang maisalin ang hazard data tungo sa maagang babala, mas maayos na pagpaplano, at mabilis na pagresponde sa mga komunidad.