Project Noah Reaction Paper

Bonayon, Mark Louie A. February 11, 2013 BA Journalism, 2009-53308 Ma’am Francis Grace Duka-Pante – EDH 125 Reaction Paper: Project NOAH I’m no stranger to Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) as it was introduced to me a year ago when I visited NIGS for a client meeting. My BC 196 course, Crisis in Broadcasting, also brought us to DOST, PAGASA and PHIVOLCS where Project NOAH was also discussed. I also remember seeing it on the local news. But visiting Project NOAH’s website is something new to me. The website was a fresh experience. It’s usual for me to explore Google Maps or Google Earth, looking for places and directions. However, in Project NOAH’s website, I got to navigate in various places in the Philippines, provided with relevant information, mostly weather-related. The live weather forecast in this interactive platform could be very helpful for those watching out for weather disturbances, not to mention the really engaging interface of the website. This default area of the website is dedicated to Filipinos’ needs when it comes to updates on weather conditions, with accessible tools friendly enough to be utilized by any web user. On the lower right side, there are also live updates from PAGASA and other partner organizations and institutions to regularly update the site’s visitors. Reporting floods could also be crucial, especially during disasters. The “report a flood” button on the upper right is an easy-to-use tool which could be very helpful for rescue and could actually save lives. The website was also able to refresh me with what Project NOAH is all about, its future developments and how it totally changes the Philippine landscape in terms of disaster awareness and preparedness. The “About” section of the website gives us a promising view of what Project NOAH has in store for us. It traces back to the previous calamities that the country experienced, making us aware of the hazards of being in a tropical country with