1.
NOAH (Nationwide Operational
Assessment of Hazards)
Headquarters: Quezon City, Philippines
Website: noah.dost.gov.ph
noah.up.edu.ph
center.noah.up.edu.ph
Address: National Institue of Geological Science, P. Velasquez cor C. P. Garcia,
University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Email: info@noah.dost.gov.ph
http://www.stii.dost.gov.ph/134-dost-briefs-baguio-folks-on-project-noah-s-landslide-
mapping-project
DOST BRIEFS BAGUIO FOLKS ON PROJECT NOAH’S LANDSLIDE MAPPING
PROJECT
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through Project NOAH briefed Baguio
folks on Project NOAH’s landslide mapping project via an information, education and communication
(IEC) seminar for the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) recently at the Crown Legacy Hotel in
Baguio City.Project NOAH’s IEC intends to raise people’s awareness on the impending hazards brought
about by natural calamities like floods and landslides.
“Since the Cordillera region is mostly composed of mountains, there is a need to study the area in detail
and collect data that can be analyzed to create landslide maps,” said Aika Alemania, Senior SRS for
ProjectNOAH’sLandslide Mapping component.
As a learning tool for the participants, Alemania also presented documentations of Typhoon Pablo in 2009
that triggered mud flow and debris flow in Barangay Andap, New Bataan and Compostela Valley.
“We are presently doing mapping of existing landslides, mapping of landslide susceptible areas using
LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology and mapping of alluvial fans,” said Alemania. “Alluvial fans
are fan-shaped land formations brought about by landslide.”
“There are no alluvial fans in CAR except in Camp 1. It will be the province of Pangasinan that could be
affected in the event of a landslide,” added Alemania.
The landslide mapping project started only in May 2013 and will end by April 2014, Alemania said.
She stressed the need to constantly monitor and study the terrain andsoil composition of the different
areas in the country that are prone to landslides to gather pertinent data for the creation of landslide
maps.
Other resource speakers included experts from various warning agencies, namely: JoidaPrieto, Senior
SRS for Data Processing for UP DREAM LiDAR, a NOAH component that produces flood hazard maps;
Jericho Jan Andres of Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) for hydromet sensors
development; Mary Joy Gonzales of WebGIS for NOAH website and mobile apps; and Danilo Flores,
Weather Specialist II of PAGASA Hydromet Division.
Participants to the event included officials of local government units from Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet
and Ifugao; provincial disaster managers; academicians from UP Baguio, Saint Louis University,
University of Cordillera, and Baguio Central University; non-government organizations, provincial police
and military institutions and the local media practitioners.
Other guests present during the event were Dr. Julius Caesar V. Sicat, regional director of DOST-CAR
who gave his opening remarks and Director Alex Uy chairperson of the Office of Civil Defense-CAR and
RDRRMC-CAR who in turn gave the closing remarks.
Project NOAH or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards, is the disaster management
program of the DOST. It was created and launched in July 6, 2012 as a response to the directive of
President Benigno Aquino III to implement a responsive disaster mitigation and risk reduction program
using science and state-of-the-art technologies in the aftermath of Typhoon Sendong that devastated
Cagayan de Oro and nearby communities.
Project NOAH primarily conducts information campaigns in areas near the 18 major river basins all over
the country to provide information as to risks attributed to natural hazards. Also under the program, CAR
was identified as one of the vulnerable areas in terms of landslides due to its mountainous topography.
Written by: Rodolfo P. de Guzman/S&T Media Service, DOST-STII
Thursday, 24 October 2013 09:01
2. MODECERA (Monitoring and
Detection of Ecosystems Changes
for Enhancing Resilience and
Adaptation)
Email: modecera@gmail.com
research@modecera.org
Telephone: +6349-536-5314
(049) 536 5314
Address: College of Forestry and Natural Resources
University of the Philippines Los Baños
Project Sites
Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed
Province: Nueva Ecija
Area: 84,500 ha
Climate: Type I
Land Use: Closed canopy forests, open canopy forests, mossy forests, arable lands, coconut
plantations, cultivated areas, croplands, grasslands, riverbeds, built-up areas
Partner College/University: Central Luzon State University
Mount Makiling Forest Reserve
Province: Laguna
Area: 4,224 ha
Climate: Type I
Land Use: Plantations, agroforestry, leased areas, grasslands, agricultural farms, built-up areas
Partner College/University: University of the Philippines Los Baños
Calsanag Watershed
Province: Romblon
Area: 2,670 ha
Climate: Type III
Land Use: Coconut plantations, crop lands, cultivated areas mixed with brush lands or
grasslands
Partner College/University: Romblon State University
Catubig Watershed
Province: Northern Samar
Area: 87,382 ha
Climate: Type II
Land Use: Closed canopy forests, open canopy forests, arable lands, coconut plantations, crop
land, cultivated areas, built-up areas, mangrove vegetation
Partner College/University: University of Eastern Philippines
Jalaur Watershed
Province: Iloilo
Area: 150,300 ha
Climate: Type III
Land Use: Closed canopy forests, open canopy forests, arable lands, crop lands, coconut
plantations, cultivated areas, grasslands, built-up areas, mangrove vegetation
Partner College/University: Western Visayas State University
Aborlan Watershed
Province: Palawan
Area: 12,029.46 ha
Climate: Type III
Land Use: Closed canopy forests, open canopy forests, mossy forests, arable lands,
coconut plantations, crop lands, cultivated areas, grasslands, mangrove vegetation,
built-up areas
Partner College/University: Western Philippines University
Allah Valley Watershed
Province: South Cotabato
Area: 92,450 ha
Climate: Type IV
Land Use: Closed canopy forests, open canopy forests, arable lands, coconut
plantations, crop lands, cultivated areas, other plantations, grasslands, and built-up
areas
Partner College/University: Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology
Del Carmen Watershed
Province: Surigao Del Norte
Area: 5,836.47 ha
Climate: Type II
Land Use: Mangrove vegetation, arable lands, crop lands mixed with coconut plantations,
cultivated areas mixed with brushlands or grasslands, and unclassified areas
Partner College/University: Surigao State College of Technology
http://www.modecera.org/sites/
http://modecera-maps.org/
3. INWARD (Integrated National
Watershed Research and Development
Program)
Email: admin@philwatershed.org
philwatershed@gmail.com
Telephone Number: 049-536-5314
Address: Florencio Tamesis Building, College of Forestry and Natural Resources,
University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna, Philippines, 4031
Links
DOST-PCAARRD
University of the Philippines Los Baños
Mariano Marcos State University
DENR XI
Isabela State University
Bicol University College of Agriculture and Forestry
Central Mindanao University
4. DREAM (Disaster Risk and Exposure
Assessment for Mitigation)
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/technology/283662/project-dream-uses-
new-tech-to-map-phl-flood-prone-areas/story/
Project DREAM uses new tech to
map PHL flood-prone areas
On their maiden flight, two light planes took flight carrying instruments to
map Philippine river basins and flood-prone areas.
The University of the Philippines (UP) in partnership with the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST) launched “Project DREAM” (or Disaster
Risk and Exposure Assessment for Mitigation's LiDAR-equipped planes)
on November 22, at Clark Air Base, in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Two T-206 CESSNA planes equipped with LiDAR ALTM (Airborne Laser
Terrain Mapper) Aquarius were commissioned to map at least 17 major
river basins all over the country. These included the Marikina-Pasig River
system and the Cagayan de Oro river. LiDAR ALTM costs around P200
thousand. The entire project costs around P1.6 billion, according to DOST.
LiDAR technology, or Light Detection and Ranging, is a state-of-the-art
surveying technology, similar to radars, that determines the range, height,
and direction of objects.
The instrument fires laser pulses on the surface it surveys at around
150,000 pulse per second. Its sensor measures the amount of time each
pulse takes to bounce back and the LiDAR calculates the distance
between itself and the target.
LiDAR technology is capable of simultaneous land and water mapping
through 3D imagery at a very rapid rate. It is also considered to be the
most effective technique for flood hazard mapping.
"Ang isang lipad ng eroplano ay aabot ng apat na oras which is equivalent
to 60-80 sq km. May200 GB na data 'yun." said DREAM leader Dr. Enrico
Paringit during the flight.
Paringit also said that they need 500 days to complete the project. But
DREAM does not end there.
On Nov. 23, DREAM office was inaugurated at the UP National
Engineering Center. The office is equipped with computers capable of
processing data coming from LiDAR instruments.
In fact, DREAM consists of four components including; LiDAR data
acquisition, processing, validation and flood modelling.
The flood models DREAM will produce shall be available in the Project
NOAH website
"If you look at current hazard maps, it says that 85 percent of our country is
hazard prone. Ibig sabihin ba, sa 15 percent lang tayo magsisiksikan?"
said Paringit, emphasizing the importance of accurate hazard maps for
proper land use policies.
Paringit also said in a statement that the 3D maps DREAM will produce
can also be beneficial for other purposes such as forest inventory,
environmental monitoring, fault line mapping, infrastructure planning,
archaeological surveys, and agricultural assessment. – KDM, GMA News
https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/technology/16738-dream-lidar-project-to-aid-
in-disaster-management
CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Philippines - Disaster management is a difficult task made
more so by a lack of more accurate data to allow for better preparations. While many
Filipinos have seen firsthand what damage a bad flood can do, it takes a different view
of the world to understand the nuances behind the trouble with flooding.
On Thursday, November 22, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
celebrated the maiden flights of two Cessna 206 airplanes loaded with special
equipment. These planes and the equipment they carry will play a part in creating 3-
dimensional (3D) maps of the Philippines. The 3D maps generated will eventually
provide government agencies with better data for risk management.
The equipment use Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to generate
detailed topographic maps of the Philippines. The technology used is not new, as
LiDAR technology is approximately 30 years old, according to US LiDAR services
provider Airborne1.
The ability to make the maps, however, has been in place for only 10 years. Combined,
the LiDAR map generation system is seen as a cost-effective means of acquiring
accurate data on elevation and depth, two things critical in determining the risks of
flooding.
LiDAR mapping provides a significant increase to the scope of data given and the scale
of data accuracy.
According to Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, Program Leader of the University of the Philippines'
(UP) Disaster Risk and Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) program, Google
Earth and Google Maps lack 3D coordinate. “It has a few 3D maps but only for select
cities, like New York in the US,” he notes.
Dr. Paringit also mentions that Philippine base maps and 2D Google maps have an
accuracy of “plus and minus 10 and 20 meters, respectively, and cannot be used for
effective flood modeling.” On the other hand, LiDAR maps not only allow for flood
modeling, but “also have vertical accuracy of plus and minus 20 centimeters,” a marked
difference that he explains would allow flood models to be “greatly refined up to house
level.”
Like a lot of different technologies, LiDAR can be helpful, but a search for information
regarding data processing for LiDAR technologies reveals that there are some hurdles
that need to be crossed as well.
Robert A. Fowler, responding to an inquiry in Earth Observation Magazine in October
2001, mentioned that LiDAR technology gathers a lot of data for its purpose, which only
a few computer systems can handle. While software does exist for processing this data,
it still requires enough time to process the data and trained analysts to ensure the
mapping is accurate.
The DOST and UP prepared for that need. A project office on the third floor of the
National Engineering Centre in UP was set up and inaugurated on Friday, November
23, for the purpose of processing the data from the LiDAR readings. An all-Filipino team
will handle the data acquired by the LiDAR aircraft.
The process of gathering and processing the data will also take time. The DOST hopes
to complete all flood models of the major river basins, which represent 33% of the
Philippines' total land area, over a two-year period.
As the data comes in, however, the overall purpose of the data and the LiDAR
technology is clear. “The maps to be generated by DREAM will be very beneficial for
government agencies,” says Dr. Paringit. “After the initial mapping and flood modeling
program, we can always use the LiDAR instruments for other purposes including post
disaster damage assessments.”
The DREAM flood models will ultimately be incorporated into the website for the
Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards project (Project NOAH). Eventually,
with more data on hand, it is hoped that the various government agencies will be able to
work together to swiftly address potential issues and provide better early warning
systems for communities that may be at risk of flooding. - Rappler.com
5. FRA’s
6. Permanent Biodiv Plots
