President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has infused a fresh P1 billion in funding into Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH), bolstering the national government’s capacity to respond effectively to severe typhoons and flooding exacerbated by climate change.
Dr. Mahar Lagmay, Executive Director of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI), said the additional capital allows Project NOAH to focus on strengthening flood management, hazard monitoring and disaster-risk-reduction systems.
“We hope the government’s funding will continue to transform scientific knowledge into practical action that protects lives and helps build safer, more resilient, and sustainable communities,” Lagmay said in interviews with state and private broadcast media over the weekend.
Managed by UPRI, Project NOAH uses years of historical data, satellite imaging, and rainfall metrics to power its impact-based forecasting system. President Marcos directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the funds to scale up these data-driven capabilities.
The executive directive aligns with the administration’s broader effort to integrate hard science into public infrastructure spending, most notably guiding flood control projects led by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Following President Marcos’s instructions to enhance nationwide flood resiliency, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the updating of all flood-management master plans. The DPWH is collaborating with UPRI’s Project NOAH, local government units (LGUs), and key partner agencies to integrate detailed hazard mapping before executing long-overdue infrastructure works.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting repair works at a collapsed bridge in Tarlac, President Marcos emphasized the shift toward execution.
“We already have a master plan. It’s just never been executed. We are only executing it now,” President Marcos said, as Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and other regions dealt with widespread flooding from heavy monsoon rains. “We have had a master plan for decades pero walang ginawa. Ngayon lang natin sinisimulan (but nothing was done. We are only starting it now).”
Alongside major infrastructure, the administration has directed national agencies to pursue immediate and mid-term measures, including dredging waterways, upgrading urban drainage systems and enforcing proper land-use planning to handle climate-induced rainfall spikes.
Lagmay noted that NOAH’s enhanced impact-based forecasting system aims to predict—up to 24 hours in advance—where flooding will occur and how it will impact roads, homes, public facilities, and traffic flow.
“The P1 billion allocation for UPRI will be measured by better information, transparency, evidence-based governance and decision-making, effective flood management, and reduced disaster risks and losses,” Lagmay stated.
Under the UP System’s built-in appropriation in the 2026 General Appropriations Act:
- ₱935 million is slated for direct research services.
- ₱65 million is allocated for general management and administrative supervision.
The operational funds will cover high-resolution mapping of major river basins, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) drone topographic surveys, land-use planning, and joint “Oplan Kontra Baha” initiatives alongside the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and private sector partners. Other key programs include native tree mapping, sediment erosion assessments, locating hidden waterways, deploying nature-based solutions and leveraging artificial intelligence for risk analytics.
UP President Angelo Jimenez welcomed the budget allocation, describing it as a direct investment in evidence-based governance.
“We do research because knowledge matters, and knowledge matters most when it can help us make better decisions, solve real problems, and improve the lives of our people,” Jimenez said.
Founded in 2012, Project NOAH continues to serve as the primary scientific arm for climate change adaptation, risk mitigation and disaster preparedness across the Philippine archipelago.