PAE Conference 2016

Road to ASEAN: Strengthening Labour Migration Policies in Timor-Leste

Time: 9:30am–10:00am
Client: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Group Members: Indu Nandakumar, Shruti Moghe, Khadija Nasirova

The PAE will analyse labour migration mechanisms in Cambodia and the Philippines to provide policy recommendations to IOM for developing the National Action Plan (NAP) for Labour Migration in Timor-Leste. The adoption of recommendations in the NAP aims to strengthen the Government of Timor-Leste’s (GoTL) capacity to manage international labour migration, and harness it as a key component of national development. This analysis will be conducted through examining the existing frameworks and reviewing best practices and strategic areas in relation to labour migration management in Philippines and Cambodia. This also includes a critical assessment of governance of labour migration, the protection and empowerment of male and female migrant workers, and labour migration and development.

Impact Evaluation of skill development programmes in the textile and handicrafts sector in India

Time: 10:05am–10:35am
Client: National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), India
Group Members: Divya Titus, Robert DeRosa

This Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) aims to evaluate the impact of skill development programmes, focused on the traditional handicrafts and handlooms sector, in boosting employment opportunities for surplus labour present in the Indian agricultural sector – primarily in the eastern state of Bihar. The primary focus of this analysis will be based upon skill development training programmes provided by Drishtee, a social enterprise that focuses solely on rural development in India with support from NSDC and other government ministries.

Empowering the Half Sky: the Multiplier Effects of Foreign Domestic Workers Empowerment Programs- Aidha as a Case Study

Time: 10:55am–11:25am
Client: Aidha
Group Members: Kittisak Kaweekijmanee, Law Choi Wu, Li Ji

Non-governmental organizations have been launching empowerment programs to help foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to create sustainable futures. These programs have substantial impacts on their families, communities and societies. However, there has not been any mechanism to measure these multiplier effects among NGOs. This hinders the adequate evaluation of their programs and the implementation of effective fundraising strategies. This may also lead to an underestimation of the human capital of FDWs. Using Aidha (an NGO in Singapore that offer financial literacy, ICT and entrepreneurship training to FDWs) as a case study, our PAE attempts to analyze the multiplier effects of empowerment programs targeted towards FDWs.

Policy Options to Address Migrant Tertiary Students’ Vulnerabilities in the Maldives

Time: 11:30am–12:00pm
Client: Institute of Research and Innovation (IRI), Maldives
Group Members: Fatimath Lahfa, Noviandri Nurlaili Khairina, Yayat Budianto

Maldives, the small island nation in the Indian Ocean has a small population of 351,572 dispersed over 200 inhabited islands. Partly due to its unique geographic nature, there are significant disparities in development between Male’, the capital and other islands. As higher education opportunities are concentrated in Male, young people in the islands have little choice but to migrate to Male for further studies. This PAE investigates the vulnerabilities faced by tertiary students migrating to Male to pursue higher education. The study specifically focuses on the challenges relating to living costs, living conditions, safety and security, and social networks. After an assessment of the problem with evidence, the PAE analyses various policy options to address the challenges identified.

School-Based Assessment – Policies and Practices: The Case of Singapore and Hong Kong

Time: 2:10pm–2:40pm
Client: United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Group Members: Awa Touray, Isaac Mbwirabumva

Singapore and Hong Kong represent societies characterised by “education fever’ which manifests as an education culture that is driven by success in examinations. But there has been growing recognition of the adverse effects of high stakes examinations on student learning. So school based-assessment (SBA), assessment that is conducted by the student’s own teacher is being used as a tool for better teaching and learning. It enables better understanding of the student’s learning trajectory and allows the teacher to adapt instruction to better suit the learning needs of the classroom. This study looks at SBA implementation challenges and provides policy recommendations accordingly.

Governance and Higher Education in Afghanistan

Time: 2:45pm–3:15pm
Client: Afghanistan Institute of Higher Education
Group Members: Isidro Alejandro Ortiz Felix, Sara Delgado

Afghanistan has experienced during the last decade an increased demand for higher education. The public universities already struggle to cope with such demand, resulting in private institutions growing significantly since 2006. However, both public and private higher education sectors lack adequate governance and management, leading to poor educational outcomes. Due to Afghanistan’s institutional needs, resources and limitations, which policy tools can be useful to improve the governance framework to hold accountable the private higher education institutions and to deliver quality higher education? The PAE aims to address this question drawing lessons from selected countries.

Measuring Educational Outcome in Southeast Asia

Time: 3:30pm–4:00pm
Client: The World Innovation Summit of Education (WISE)
Group Members: Faiz Ahmed Chowdhury, Yin Mon

This Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) report is a continuation of the 2013 project done for World Innovation Summit of Education (WISE). Since there is no such comprehensive mechanism available to evaluate education system globally, the previous project attempted to build some comprehensive indicators for evaluating primary education globally. The current study intends to explore the educational outcome of the following four countries in Southeast Asia, namely – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. For deeper understanding of educational outcome of primary provision in the above mentioned countries, four cases will be explored for the study.

Creating a Pro-Active Anti-Dengue Strategy in Penang, Malaysia

Time: 9:30am–10:00am
Client: Penang Institute
Group Members: Khasan Redjaboev, Fatima Iqbal, Takanao Tanaka

Despite campaigns to reduce disease incidents and limit its spread, dengue remains a global health issue, with 40% of the global population affected. Malaysia experienced dengue challenge at the frontier. A 200% increase in cases and deaths in 2014 was a worrying yet observable inference of the 5 year period from 2010 to 2014. Penang, an economic locomotive province of Malaysia, recorded 163.8% rise in recorded dengue infection cases from 2013 to 2014. This given, the absence of a widely used and comprehensive anti-dengue strategy, puts increasing pressure on Penang that is seeking a strategy to effectively protect citizens from the spread of this disease, along with maintaining its reputation as a popular tourist destination and sustainable business hub. This project considers revising the application of the dengue disease mapping system by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, its practical applications, disease registration, public feedback mechanisms and efforts of the Ministry of Health (MOH). Largely drawing on data driven, experts involved and complex perspectives of understanding the disease, the project advances a public policy measures that are synergetic in organization, combining advances in grassroots activities, vaccination, education campaigns, law enforcement and pragmatic public health instruments.

Financial Inclusion and Universal Health Coverage in Indonesia-Challenges and Opportunities

Time: 10:05am–10:35am
Client: Asian Development Bank Indonesia Resident Mission
Group Members: Muhammad Ammar Mahmood, Kazunori Otsuka

The government of Indonesia launched a new universal health insurance system, Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN), in 2014 to cover the entire population. However, due to low rate of enrolment and lack of prudence in terms of premium payments by the enrollees, fiscal balance of JKN is being questioned. In order to achieve sustainable operation of JKN, one of the challenges is lying on the realm of Financial Inclusion. Our group thus focuses on how Financial Inclusion would be able to improve sustainability of JKN through developments in both public and private sectors.

Use of Internet of Things in Active Ageing: a Comparative Study of Singapore and Hong Kong

Time: 10:55am–11:25am
Client: ACCESS Health International (Singapore)
Group Members: Keo Kounila, Zheng Wendan, Jaya Jung Mahat

The ageing population in the Asian two global cities, Singapore and Hong Kong, is rising every following year. To address the problem, they have taken initiatives and invested in R &D in ICT and specifically IoT tools to assist the elderly in active aging. This PAE aims to analyse the contemporary practices on ageing and innovations in both cities which face limited resources in addressing the issue and to draw some recommendations which they can learn from each other to develop better future programs that deploy IoTs in the field of smart and active aging.

The Future of Long Term Care in Singapore

Time: 11:30am–12:00pm
Client: The Gerontological Society of Singapore
Group Members: Jessica Loo Li Ping, Puttiporn Soontornwipart, Kimhong GOVE

With a rapidly increasing elderly population, how should Singapore’s long-term care (LTC) system evolve in terms of financing, delivering and regulating LTC services? This Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) thus aims to formulate LTC policies for the ageing society in Singapore. Using a qualitative approach, we review the current LTC system in Singapore and draw lessons from Hong Kong. The proposed recommendation finally highlights a coordination among the public sector, the private sector and the community; towards a LTC system that is equitable, sustainable and having high quality of care to cater to the various needs of the elderly.

A Systems Approach to improving Maternal Health Care in Western Visayas Philippines

Time: 2:10pm–2:40pm
Client: Department of Health (DOH) –Regional Office 6, Republic of the Philippines
Group Members: Vu Tra My, Leslie Ann L. Luces, Totar Maria Tambunan

High Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is a pressing problem in Western Visayas Region of the Philippines. Having the third highest maternal deaths in the country, the Region fell short of reaching the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 in 2015 This Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) aims to identify the gaps in the current Maternal Health Program in the entire Region, and provide recommendations to address these gaps. Fieldwork interviews were done with the major stakeholders and thinktanks in the national, regional, provincial and municipal levels. Based on the information gathered, the Region has to adopt a new management strategy specifically in opening its doors to public private partnership, and in investing in its human capital.

How can we improve home-based healthcare services?- Designing indicators to measure the effectiveness of the TTSH PACH programme

Time: 2:45pm–3:15pm
Client: Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Group Members: Hanis Farhanah Yusof, Karishma Kaur

Singapore’s ageing population is posing a large burden on its secondary healthcare sector. This necessitates changes to the organisation and delivery of healthcare. TTSH had launched the Post-Acute Care at Home (PACH) programme in 2008 to reduce readmissions, medical costs and the hospital’s bed crunch situation. Using a multidisciplinary approach, PACH helps homebound and functionally disabled elderly patients seamlessly transit from hospital to home-based care. To help PACH achieve its aims, this project purports to identify improvements and key performance indicators that can help to enhance the effectiveness of PACH in the long-run.

Implementing the SDGs: Approaches to Public Service Delivery Based on Post MDG-5 Evaluation in the Philippines

Time: 3:30pm–4:00pm
Client: UNDP Global Centre for Public Service Excellence (UNDP-GCPSE)
Group Members: Otini Mpinganjira, ASM Safwan Bin Rob, Devashish Dhar

In evaluating the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the importance of institutions has been a recurring theme; more so as the world migrates to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study investigates the operational responses (successful or otherwise) undertaken by health sector institutions in the Philippines as a result of the Maternal Health agenda under MDG-5. Through a systems approach, the study analyzes the localization process and the consequent reforms. In so doing, identifying relevant learning points with regard to the implementation of the SDGs.

Enhancing EU Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN: The case of Thailand and the Philippines

Time: 9:30am–10:00am
Client: Delegation of the European Union to Thailand
Group Members: Jamie Lyn Duque DAILEG, Aphilom Vanthanouvong

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an important source of external financing for developing countries and has played a key role in their economic growth. In 2014, FDI inflows to developing countries recorded their highest level at US$681 billion, with ASEAN increasing by five percent to US$133 billion. Spurred by stellar economic growth and a rising middle class, the ASEAN region remains an attractive investment destination. While the European Union (EU) remains a major source of FDI in ASEAN, its declining share in FDI flows into the region in recent years raises important policy implications. This paper examines these in the case of Thailand and the Philippines, and offers policy recommendation.

Exploring Export-Competitiveness in the Vietnamese Electronics Industry

Time: 10:05am–10:35am
Client: Trade and Investment Division, UNESCAP
Group Members: Sakshi Balani, Safa Mohsin Khan, Moana Jagasia

This proposed policy analysis exercise (PAE) aims to explore how Vietnam can increase and improve value-addition in its exports, with a particular focus on the electronics and machinery manufacturing. Vietnam’s exports have graduated from primary products to manufactured goods, reflecting the success of industrialization. From 2000 to 2010, the export share of manufactured products, particularly labor-intensive products like textiles, garments, and footwear has increased and displaced exports of primary agricultural products. However, the growth in exports has been limited to low-value add goods, which in turn have a direct impact on Vietnam’s export competitiveness, crucial for the country’s economic growth and development prospects. According to data by the International Trade Centre, Vietnam’s electronics/ electrical equipment sector made up its top exports in 2013.We are therefore interested in investigating how Vietnam can increase its export competitiveness through value-addition in the electronics sector.

Upgrading Garment Enterprises in Vietnam

Time: 10:55am–11:25am
Client: The World Bank (Singapore)
Group Members: Yuki Ono, Dang Tan Duc, Minea Kim

Garment industry is among the largest exporting industries and employs millions of people in Vietnam. However, Vietnamese garment enterprises are locked in the supplier position of the global value chain with challenges in increasing value add and upgrading their process, product, and function. In addition, this industry is threatened by the rising of labor cost, low productivity, quota elimination, and global competition. Through literature view, enterprise survey, stakeholder interview, and exploration of best practices, this PAE aims to analyse the root causes of this problem and develop policy framework to facilitate the upgrading of garment enterprise in Vietnam.

Opportunities for Singaporean Businesses in Indonesia in light of the AEC

Time: 11:30am–12:00pm
Client: Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING Singapore)
Group Members: Ruijin Luo, Victor Fernandez, Dinara Datbayeva

The ASEAN Economic Cooperation will make official an unstoppable force in South East Asia: the economic integration of its member countries. This paper will cover the overall impact of this integration. Indonesia has been widely named as the country with the greatest business opportunities, for its demographic characteristics and for its buoyant market. This document will indicate where exactly these opportunities are. Likewise, Singapore is the economic and technological leader among the ASEAN countries. This document will analyse if this leader will be able to take advantage of these opportunities. Finally, in the last section, policy recommendations of what the Singaporean government agencies can do to support Singaporean business will be included.

Making Markets Work for the Poor: Inclusive Business in Indonesia’s Consumer Goods/Retail sector

Time: 2:10pm–2:40pm
Client: Dalberg Global Development Advisors
Group Members: Karishma Mutreja, Oumie Joof, Margarita Cherkasova

This PAE aims to analyze the status quo of Inclusive Business (IB) in the consumer goods/retail sector in Indonesia and propose policies and reforms that can enhance IB in this sector. Businesses are traditionally profit making entities while governments, NGOs and civil society are predominantly considered to be custodians of economic and social welfare. However, this trend is changing in recent years with businesses stepping in to create social impact by combining anti- poverty and development objectives with their core business model, to establish what is known as an “Inclusive Business”.

Understanding the Political Economy of Indonesian Landscape Fires: Policy Suggestions to Enhance the Role of the Private Sector as a Change Agent

Time: 2:45pm–3:15pm
Client: Business Council for Sustainable Development Singapore
Group Members: Muhammad Nasir Khan, Marina Garcia Valls

Large-scale human-induced landscape fires in Indonesia have been making headlines since the 1980s, alongside the rapid expansion of agribusiness. The impact of fires is noticeable domestically and internationally in the form of deforestation, transboundary haze, greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity, and so forth. The government of Indonesia, together with its ASEAN counterparts, private and non-profit sector entities, as well as civil society groups, have taken several steps to redress this long-standing issue, albeit without notable success. This PAE aims at analyzing the multidimensional dynamics of Indonesian landscape fires, while providing policy options for the private sector to become an effective game changer.

Solar PV Roadmap for the Philippines

Time: 9:30am–10:00am
Client: DNV GL
Group Members: Digvijay Singh Sujlana, Sricharan Venkatadri Seshadri

The Republic of the Philippines initiated their ambitious Renewable Energy Plan with the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and the National Renewable Energy Program. However, the Solar Energy targets are largely underwhelming. As per industry numbers, they have already surpassed the 2020 targets in 2015. Yet, the available irradiation potential is not completely harnessed. Project applications lodged with the Department of Energy suggest strong interest from investors in the solar PV sector. However, there are a multitude of challenges including policy gaps and insufficient financial incentives. The objective of this paper is to outline a Solar Roadmap for the Philippines, conduct a regulatory and policy assessment and suggest recommendations based on the assessment.

Policy options of climate change adaptation on Cambodia’s rice production

Time: 10:05am–10:35am
Client: The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Group Members: Nguyen Viet Thuy Trang, Im Chanboracheat

While rice agriculture is the dominant agricultural activity in Cambodia, agriculture is also known as the high exposure to natural hazards like droughts and floods. These extreme weather events are closely related to climate change. To tackle problems, we focus on enhancing resilience of rice farming and reducing losses and damage caused by climate change related risks in the field. Despite the increasing severity and frequencies of climate change related risks, we adopt the most innovative solutions comprising of climate-resilient crop varieties, the system of rice intensification (SRI) and crop insurance and conduct policy analysis to weigh among these options.

Improving efficiency within the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Syr-Darya River Basin (Assessment in Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic)

Time: 10:55am–11:25am
Client: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Land and Water Division (NRL)
Group Members: Rishabh Jain, Farzona Mukhitdinova

Rivalry within the water-energy-food nexus in Central Asia is expected to increase in the long run due to the anticipated effect of climate change on availability of water resources across seasons and geographical locations. In parallel, demand for water, energy and food is growing as a function of population growth and economic development. The study analyses current state of energy and water efficiency in agriculture sector in the upstream Syr-Darya River Basin and makes policy recommendations on the required improvements for sustainable irrigation.

Reimagining Tampines

Time: 11:30am–12:00pm
Client: Ministry of National Development
Group Members: Arisa Ito, Giacomo Bagarella

Our PAE, conducted on behalf of the Centre for Liveable Cities and the Ministry of National Development, analyzes how planning and development at the local level can better respond to residents’ everyday needs and encourage a better sense of ownership of the living environment. The analysis draws on literature to devise an analytical framework for interagency coordination and public engagement in relation to Tampines, a town in Singapore. The study utilizes primary sources and interviews across government agencies and local stakeholders and proposes solutions for specific areas of urban planning, development, and engagement along with providing insight on effective public policy as applied to Tampines and Singapore.

A Road-map for Transit-oriented Socialized Housing in Metro Manila for Poverty Alleviation

Time: 2:10pm–2:40pm
Client: National Anti-Poverty Commission, Office of the President of the Philippines
Group Members: Yeqian Yang, Hasan Muneeb

Slow economic growth in rural Philippines has escalated poverty and triggered rapid urbanization of Metro Manila. Despite many efforts of the Government, Private Sector Housing Developers and Non-Governmental Organizations homelessness and existence of slums remain not only a major hurdle in poverty alleviation but also puts the urban poor at high health risks and widen inequality. Currently, not only a massive backlog exists in socialized housing but also many relocation sites present picture of a not well thought-out plan. Our research suggests that urban poor chose not to relocate due to prolonged and expensive commutation due to massive infrastructure overload to earn livelihood. This paper aims to critically analyze this existing challenge faced by policy makers and suggests that an agenda be developed to converge and bring together efforts of multiple sectors to reduce poverty through a transit oriented and clustered socialized housing approach.

A political, social and economic feasibility study on Singaporeans retiring in Penang, Malaysia

Time: 2:45pm–3:15pm
Client: Penang Institute
Group Members: Tianshuai Yao, Jinghan He, Mrijan Rimal

Singapore is facing the problem of rapidly ageing population. This combined with scarcity of land and labor resources for elderly care has created an area of concern for the policymakers. Malaysia, on the other hand, has become a great retirement destination for elderly people from many countries attracted by its affordable cost of living, government-supported medical services and friendly retirement migration policies. This Policy Analysis Exercise report aims to understand the inclination of Singaporean retirees towards retiring in Penang, to analyze the possibility of retirement migration with an interdisciplinary approach and to make policy suggestions that will simplify the retirement migration process.