The Department of Science and Technology launched a mobile application based on its highly successful project called NOAH which stands for Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards.

NOAH aims to provide reliable and authoritative information about weather conditions in the country. It is designed to be a disaster preparedness system to reduce loss of lives, and damages to properties due to rain-triggered natural hazards.

Now that it’s accessible via a mobile application, Filipinos will be able to access information relevant to current weather conditions right on the palm of their hands.

“When it comes to getting and accessing information, there is nothing more ubiquitous than the mobile phone,” Raymund Liboro, Department of Science and Technology project director for NOAH. A 2011 World Bank study showed that 80 per cent of Filipino households have a mobile phone, making the application convenient and accessible.

The NOAH mobile application will initially be available only for Android smartphones. However, its sharing options will allow users to share information across different social media.

Future enhancements include incorporating a flood forecasting system. “This will really help us give advance warning to residents of flood-prone areas [and] if there is a need to evacuate,” said Vic Malano, Deputy Aadministrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services.