Many metropolitan cities in Asia are planning and implementing mass transit networks. Transit-oriented development (TOD) will be key; it should consider a transit- oriented management plan for regional growth; station area zoning regulations; joint development among local governments, transit agencies, and private developers; and an institutional mechanism for public and private cooperation in station area development.

Learn about the success and failure of digital services. The success of a digital government strategy requires openness and engagement, governance and coordination, and capacities to support implementation.

Noel Sta. Ines at the Asian Development Bank discussed the use of geotagging and high-resolution satellite imagery to track and visualize project implementation status. The presentation highlighted the adoption of these technologies including by the Philippines Commission of Audit as part of their Citizen Participatory Audit program, in which citizens could be involved in the auditing of projects funded by the national government.

Professors Erika Legara and Christopher Monterola presented on leading research led by the Institute of High Performance Computing in the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore on use of big data to create simulations for the Singapore Rapid Transit System aimed to assess cost and convenience in the management of their transport systems. These models were used widely for scenario planning and disruption management, and were the basis of transport-related policy proposals of government.

Kaushal Jhalla presented on the emerging role of disruptive technologies, as well as challenges to adaptation at scale specifically around blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) and its implementation in pilots for creating increased access to finance for SMEs and entrepreneurs.

Stef Sy, CEO of Thinking Machines presented OnTrackPH - a big data machine learning and natural language processing algorithm - that enabled the fast, efficient, and scalable matching of government records across multiple disparate government databases to link national budgets to project across the entire life PFM cycle (e.g. planning, budget allocation, procurement, disbursement and audit) to strengthen tracking of investments.

Jogendra Ghimire, ADB Senior Counsel talked about ADB's engagement with SOEs and the legal aspects of SOE reforms.

Bruno Carrasco, Director, Public Management, Financial Sector, & Trade Division of the ADB South Asia Department shared ADB operations related to SOE reforms, highlighing a case study on India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL).