As heavy rains begin to soak the country this June, Filipinos now have a powerful ally in flood preparedness: the University of the Philippines Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP NOAH), a system developed by UP scientists to help communities anticipate and respond to flood risks.
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The UP NOAH Impact-Based Forecasting System, first made available in 2024, is fully operational and free to use online. It allows anyone in the country to check if their community is at risk of flooding up to 24 hours in advance—a vital heads-up that can save lives.
“This system can determine whether a neighborhood is likely to be affected by a major flood event 24 hours in advance,” said Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, the project’s lead scientist and Executive Director of the UP Resilience Institute.
Accessible via the UP NOAH website, the forecasting system uses advanced data models to display high-risk flood zones on a map or in table format. What sets it apart? It drills down to the barangay level, showing how many people could be affected by severe weather.
The forecasts are based on two main factors: rainfall predictions and flood hazard maps built from historical data. By customizing global weather models to suit the Philippine landscape, the system delivers more accurate and location-specific warnings.
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The tool has already proven effective, correctly forecasting floods earlier this year in Davao, Palawan, and Borongan.
But it’s not just a tool for scientists or local governments—it’s designed for everyday Filipinos to use and contribute to. Through the LyfSaver mobile app, citizens can report real-time flooding in their area, helping strengthen the system’s accuracy through crowdsourced data.
Project NOAH’s earlier platform helped kickstart public involvement in disaster data collection— see how it laid the groundwork for today’s citizen-powered flood reporting.
“This isn’t just about technology. It’s about involving the people,” said Dr. Lagmay in the UP College of Science report published in April 2025. In fact, last year, the UP NOAH team actively invited netizens to take geo-tagged flood photos using the app—turning every phone into a tool for disaster risk reduction.
The system also collaborates with disaster response teams like YesPinoy Foundation, the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and community media through platforms like FYT PH, to help integrate science into on-the-ground action.
Here’s how to access UP NOAH on mobile:
Check out this video on how to use the UP NOAH on desktop
The UP NOAH system was awarded Best Innovation Pitch in the PREP Innovation Challenge by the United Nations World Food Programme and USAID. With this recognition, the team now plans to add landslide and storm surge forecasts to the system in the future.
Even as the technology advances, the goal remains the same: keep people safe. As typhoons, monsoon rains, and climate threats continue to challenge the Philippines, UP’s homegrown flood forecasting system stands as a call to action—and a beacon of hope.
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