MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday led the launching of Project NOAH – or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards – aimed at stepping up efforts toward more intensive disaster risk reduction and management procedures during typhoons and calamities.
Marikina City, which was devastated by tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009, was chosen as the venue for the launching of the project.
The President said no matter how unpredictable the weather, the government could not leave things to chance to ensure the safety of the people.
“In the past, whenever it is rainy season, we normally hear from Juan de la Cruz the lines bahala na si Batman, (It’s up to Batman). Handa akong makipagsapalaran (I am ready to take the risk) or ipagpasa-Diyos na lang natin ang lahat (Let’s just leave everything to God),” he said.
Aquino said Project NOAH, which includes rain gauges and flood monitoring systems, is not a miracle but a product of the cooperation among the Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Advanced Science and Technology Institute, Science and Technology Information Institute, Department of the Interior and Local Government, University of the Philippines-National Institute of Geological Sciences and Department, and other concerned agencies.
“You all prove that ‘hindi totoong ang buhay ay weather-weather lang (it’s not true that life is like the weather). It is in our hands whether the sun will shine for a better tomorrow and it is also up to us if we will remain in fear for life,” the President said.
Based on records from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the country gets hit by at least 20 typhoons a year.
The NDRRMC said flooding incidents from 2000 to 2011 affected some 1.7 million Filipino families and damaged P160 billion in properties and livelihood.
Aquino said when he assumed the presidency, there were only four locally assembled water level monitoring sensors in 2010 but nine had been added in 2011 and 12 more in 2012. At least 100 rain gauges were assembled last year and 86 had been deployed to different regions.
Since 2010, six Doppler radar stations were operational in Baguio, Subic, Tagaytay, Virac, Mactan, and Hinatuan. Three more Doppler radar stations would be put up in Tampakan, Aparri and Baler before the end of the year.
Using Project NOAH, PAGASA and Phivolcs would be able to provide a six-hour lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against impending floods and to use advanced technology to enhance current geo-hazard vulnerability maps.
Within two years, the NOAH program would provide high-resolution flood hazard maps and install 600 automated rain gauges and 400 water level measuring stations to 18 major river basins of the Philippines, namely; Marikina River Basin, Cagayan de Oro River Basin, Iligan River Basin, Agno River Basin, Pampanga River Basin, Bicol River Basin, Cagayan River Basin, Agusan River Basin, Panay River Basin, Magaswang Tubig River Basin, Jalaur River Basin, Ilog-Hilabangan River Basin, Agus River Basin, Davao River Basin, Mindanao River Basin, Tagum-Libuganon River Basin, Tagaloan River Basin, and the Buayan-Malungun River Basin.