NEWS

Flood projects test funded P1B

NOAH plans to produce high-resolution maps of major river basins and use hydraulic models to assess projects such as drainage systems, pump stations and detention basins.

Raffy Ayeng · Aug 28, 2026, 2:23 AM

P5-M RIVER WALL COLLAPSES Residents inspect the collapsed P5-million river wall in Barangay Prenza II, Marilao, Bulacan, on Wednesday, 12 August. The structure reportedly gave way Tuesday amid heavy rains brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon, just two months after its completion. The collapse comes as the government proposes P107.4 billion for flood control projects under the 2027 national budget, including funds for the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and improvement of existing infrastructure. — PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of Analy Labor

The P1-billion allocation for Project NOAH will allow scientists to test proposed flood-control projects through computer simulations before construction, helping the government avoid spending on ineffective measures, University of the Philippines Resilience Institute executive director Mahar Lagmay said Thursday.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Budget and Management to release the funds to the UP System for artificial intelligence, real-time hazard monitoring and predictive flood forecasting. Of the allocation, P935 million is for research services and P65 million for project management and administration.

Lagmay said simulations would show how proposed projects could affect water levels and whether they would provide sufficient benefits relative to their cost.

NOAH plans to produce high-resolution maps of major river basins and use hydraulic models to assess projects such as drainage systems, pump stations and detention basins.

“Floods do not recognize administrative boundaries. If you do infrastructure in one place, the water transfers to another place,” he said.

The program will also map buried and undocumented waterways and examine alternatives to concrete structures, including wetlands, floodplains, green spaces and detention areas.

Lagmay said about half the allocation would fund equipment, including LiDAR-equipped drones, which will be distributed to state universities and colleges for regional mapping.