DBM releases P1B for AI-powered flood warning, disaster prevention

MANILA, Philippines — As the government strengthens its disaster prevention capabilities, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P1 billion to the University of the Philippines for Project NOAH’s AI-powered flood forecasting and real-time hazard monitoring.

The DBM, in a statement, said the system is expected to provide the government and communities better tools to predict threats and act before lives and livelihoods are put at risk.

It explained that the allocation reinforces the administration’s bid to shift disaster management from response to using science, technology, and data to anticipate risks and prevent hazards even before they strike.

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“This…is an investment in prevention. We are putting science, AI, and real-time hazard information to work so [the] government can act earlier, communities can prepare better, and more Filipino lives and livelihoods can be protected,” DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert De Leon said.

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The agency said P935 million of the P1-billion release will support research services, while P65 million will fund general management and supervision for the implementation of Project NOAH.

Implemented by the UP Resilience Institute, Project NOAH advances disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation and mitigation through research, development, and extension services.

“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,” the DBM said.

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The program, it explained, 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.

“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. /mr