The local government of Quezon City has been honored with the Frontline Protection Award at the Planet Aqua City Awards, held during Venice Climate Week in partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the recognition serves as a testament to the city’s commitment to building a community better equipped to handle the impact of annual typhoons.

She stressed that the local government and its partner agencies remain dedicated to a data-driven approach as global climate conditions intensify.

“This award reflects the hard work of the city government and our partners in developing innovative solutions that place the safety and welfare of our people at the center of climate action,” Belmonte said.

The award-giving body specifically praised the city’s IRISE UP project, a disaster resilience platform that provides real-time updates and artificial intelligence-based forecasting.

Developed by the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the platform analyzes data to predict which of the city’s 142 barangays will be most affected by specific weather systems.

This information allows authorities to plan targeted measures to mitigate damage before a disaster strikes.

Despite its relatively high elevation compared to other parts of Metro Manila, Quezon City remains vulnerable to flooding due to the valleys and catchment basins located throughout the city.