Manila, Aug. 27 -- The new PHP1 billion budget for Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) will help fund efforts to uncover more undocumented waterways in the country, supporting flood prevention during severe weather events.

The University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI) said identifying buried, altered, or diverted drainage paths can guide local governments not only in urban planning and drainage development but also in effective emergency response.

In a press conference on Project NOAH's PHP1 billion utilization plan, UPRI Executive Director Mahar Lagmay explained that most areas suffering from localized flooding are often situated near or on top of water pathways.

"The floods happen only in spec...