The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recently launched its Project NOAH, an initiative to enhance its weather and flood forecasting to provide warnings to Filipinos during severe typhoons.
This Thursday (July 19) in “Krusada,” broadcast journalist Henry Omaga-Diaz will examine the Project NOAH or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards, a hazard map that utilizes modern technology to deliver significant information with a six-hour lead time warning against impending floods.
“We can’t eliminate fear and anxiety among Filipinos during the typhoon season. They have suffered from the same disasters over and over again,” said Henry.
Amidst recurring calamities that hit the country, Filipinos don’t seem to learn from the consequences of unpreparedness, which is sometimes blamed on PAGASA for its alleged failure to give accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts. Through Project NOAH, the agency hopes to improve the disaster management capacity of local governments in preventing or mitigating disasters.
How does Project NOAH work? How can it effectively alert Filipinos to prevent loss of lives and property? Is this the alert system Filipinos have long been waiting for? What other alarming problems and challenges is PAGASA facing?
Because it takes more than words to take a stand, watch “Krusada” this Thursday (July 19) after “Bandila” on ABS-CBN or watch it earlier on DZMM TeleRadyo (SkyCable Channel 26), 9:15 p.m.
