THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P1 billion to the University of the Philippines (UP) System to strengthen Project NOAH’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered flood forecasting, real-time hazard monitoring and disaster prevention capabilities.
The funding is intended to give government agencies and communities better tools to anticipate hazards, improve preparedness and take action before disasters threaten lives, livelihoods and infrastructure.
The initiative forms part of the Marcos administration’s broader effort to shift disaster management from response and recovery toward risk anticipation and prevention through science, technology and data.
“We do not have to wait for the water to rise before we act. 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 total allocation, P935 million will finance research services, while P65 million will cover general management and supervision for the implementation of Project NOAH. The funds are chargeable against UP’s built-in appropriation under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
The allocation will support the acquisition and deployment of critical information and communications technology, digital, technical and scientific equipment, as well as the hiring of highly specialized technical personnel and the establishment of operational systems needed to improve the country’s hazard assessment and forecasting capabilities.
Project NOAH is implemented by the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI), which advances disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation and mitigation through research, development and extension services.
The program uses AI-enhanced modeling, LiDAR mapping, data analytics and other digital technologies to produce real-time hazard assessments and predictive flood scenarios. These tools are expected to help national government agencies and local governments make faster, science-based decisions before and during emergencies.
De Leon said investments in disaster prevention also help protect public resources, noting that major disasters can destroy homes, livelihoods and infrastructure and wipe out years of government investments within hours.
“The best disaster management is when we are able to prevent disasters from becoming a catastrophe,” De Leon said. “Every peso we invest in better forecasting and preparedness can help save lives, protect livelihoods, and avoid far greater losses later on.”
He said while typhoons and heavy rains cannot be prevented, timely and accurate information can help reduce their impact.
“We cannot stop typhoons or heavy rains from coming, but with the right information at the right time, we can reduce their impact,” he said. “That is what we want public funds to deliver—not simply resources after a disaster, but greater protection before it happens.”
The DBM has previously partnered with UP NOAH to integrate disaster risk reduction strategies into the Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME), which helps assess the exposure and resilience of government infrastructure projects to natural hazards.
The latest funding builds on that partnership by further strengthening the scientific and technological capacity needed to turn hazard data into earlier warnings, improved planning and faster response on the ground.
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