MIT News breed · Wetenschap

Translating economic growth into better lives

Lyonel Tanganco, a graduate student in MIT’s Master in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) program, is researching how to connect data, policy, and community interventions to improve living conditions in middle-income countries. He aims to make economic growth more inclusive and effective.

Tanganco's work focuses on investigating innovative practices in middle-income countries and assessing their potential for scalability to improve lives. The DEDP program, a collaboration between MIT's Economics Department and J-PAL, equips professionals with skills to address development challenges by informing policy with scientific evidence.

Previously, Tanganco worked in the Philippine Department of Finance, focusing on tax policy reform and developing the nation's COVID-19 response. His efforts contributed to increased taxes on certain products, significantly boosting the healthcare budget. He also supported tax reforms for high-income earners and co-founded a "policy think-and-do tank" that advanced a conditional cash transfer program addressing malnutrition, which improved health-seeking behavior.

Tanganco observes that middle-income countries often present a dichotomy of development, with advanced urban centers alongside underserved communities. His research aims to bridge this gap by helping these nations translate economic growth into tangible improvements in human outcomes. He is currently working on a capstone project in Indonesia, evaluating a tax intervention in collaboration with local governments.

His research highlights critical issues such as childhood malnutrition in the Philippines, where a lack of early nutrition can stunt development and perpetuate poverty. He also notes the disproportionate impact of climate change on middle-income countries, citing disruptions to education and economic growth due to extreme weather events. Tanganco believes that without improved policies and sustained efforts, these countries risk losing significant opportunities for human advancement.

Tanganco values the interdisciplinary approach at MIT, drawing wisdom from various fields to tackle complex problems. He encourages practitioners to collaborate with researchers to translate their expertise into quantifiable metrics for policymakers. He concludes that the DEDP program has been "game-changing," providing a strong foundation for making a positive, measurable difference in people's lives, particularly for the less fortunate.

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