The Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) 3D mapping project called Disaster Risk Assessment, Exposure and Mitigation-Light Ranging and Detection Technology (DREAM-LiDAR) recently won the prestigious Asia Geospatial Excellence Award. DOST Asst. Secretary Raymund E. Liboro and project leader Dr. Eric Paringit of the University of the Philippines Diliman received the award during the Inaugural Ceremony of the Asia Geospatial Forum 2014 held in Jakarta, Indonesia last Nov. 25.
A component of the Nationwide Operational Assessment for Hazards (Project NOAH), the DREAM-LiDAR addresses and helps mitigate the effects of flooding disasters in the country by collecting precise geospatial data using LiDAR technology to produce 3D high-resolution maps of the country’s major river systems, their watersheds and floodplains.
This is the second award DREAM-LiDAR received this year. Last May, the project bagged the prestigious Geospatial World Excellence in Policy Implementation Award for 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
DOST Secretary Mario Montejo lauded the project for the latest recognition, citing its significant contribution to the country in the area of disaster risk reduction.
The DREAM-LiDAR Project has produced 3D high-resolution maps of the country’s major river systems, their watersheds and floodplains with one-meter horizontal resolution and 20-centimeter vertical accuracy. Through the use of advanced flood modelling technologies, the maps are used to come up with flood inundation and hazard maps. The project initially surveyed the country’s 18 large river basins that total more than 100,000 square kilometers in area which is about one-third of the country.
Aside from that, DREAM is also currently doing a land resource assessment nationwide.
Implementing the DREAM-LiDAR project requires elaborate preparation and training of local experts to carry out various technically challenging tasks such as hardware installation, flight planning, LiDAR quality checking, data pre- and post-processing, and flood modeling, among others.
DREAM-LiDAR, considered as a unique role model for the region, offers the opportunity of acquiring equipment, training local staff, and educating the public, including giving more career prospects to many young Filipino researchers. (S&T Media Service)
YET ANOTHER DREAM AWARD COME TRUE. The Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) 3D mapping project called Disaster Risk Assessment, Exposure and Mitigation-Light Ranging and Detection Technology (DREAM-LiDAR) received the prestigious Asia Geospatial Excellence Award during the Inaugural Ceremony of the Asia Geospatial Forum 2014 held in Jakarta, Indonesia last Nov. 25. A component of the Nationwide Operational Assessment for Hazards (Project NOAH), the DREAM-LiDAR addresses and helps mitigate the effects of flooding disasters in the country by collecting precise geospatial data using LiDAR technology to more accurate flood inundation maps. The project is led by Dr. Eric Paringit (rightmost) of the University of the Philippines Diliman who received the award with DOST Asst. Secretary Raymund Liboro (center). Also in photo is Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, UP Diliman Vice-Chancellor for Research and Development. (S&T Media Service)
