DOST's Project NOAH named among Asia's top public safety initiatives

The Department of Science and Technology's program on providing data for disaster preparedness and mitigation, Project NOAH, has been recognized as an initiative in promoting public safety.

The International Data Corporation (IDC) Asia Pacific named Project NOAH as the Top Smart City Initiative in Public Safety during its Smart City Asia Pacific Awards (SCAPA) 2016.

Jubert Daniel Alberto, Country Head, IDC Philippines, said: "Project NOAH as the government’s flagship disaster management initiatives has empowered the Philippines with information such as; real-time weather data and high-resolution flood, landslide, and storm surge hazard maps through online platforms; mobile devices and social media."

"Project NOAH deserves the international recognition for the public safety initiative as it succeeds in transforming cities for the better through smart and sustainable technology, says Jubert Daniel Alberto, Country Head, IDC Philippines," he added.

The project is a response to the call of former President Benigno Aquino for a more accurate, integrated, and responsive disaster prevention and mitigation system, especially in high-risk areas throughout the country.

The Project will harness technologies and management services for disaster risk reduction activities offered by the DOST through PAGASA, PHIVOLCS, and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), in partnership with the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences and the UP College of Engineering.

The SCAPA recognizes the most outstanding smart city projects in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) in 14 functional eServices. This year, the winners in the various categories came from all over Asia Pacific excluding Japan, with Singapore and New Zealand each claiming three categories each.

"The Smart City momentum is growing extensively in the Asia Pacific (AP) region as many nations see it as an organic, bottom-up and middle-out innovation growth that will spearhead the next cycle of eGovernment evolutions. While at least 90 percent of all AP local governments or smart cities’ growth leverage funds that are provided by central or federal functions, many of them are notably given the autonomy to create their own unique identity in city governance, strategic operations and provisioning of effective eServices," said Gerald Wang, Head, Asia Pacific Government and Education. — BAP, GMA News