Division chief for policy formulation
Kris Ablan's Master of Public Policy from the University of Auckland was instrumental in landing him his current job.
Key facts
Career: Division Chief for Policy Formulation
Programme: Master of Public Policy
Subjects: Public Policy
"I am the Division Chief for Policy Formulation at the Public-Private Partnership Center (PPP Center) of the Philippines. The PPP Center is an attached agency of the Government of the Philippines, under the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
"My Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Auckland made the difference in getting my current job in policy formulation. There is no MPP programme currently available in any of the major universities here in the Philippines.
"The most useful skills I gained during my time in the Faculty of Arts were from my courses in advanced research, where I was exposed to SPSS and NVIVO programmes; in policy analysis and evaluation, where I sharpened my skills in drafting policy briefs; and in comparative public policy, where I was able to hone my skills in comparing policies on both local and international scales.
"A highlight of my job is that although I have only just started, I have already had the opportunity to present a policy proposal to our Socioeconomic Planning Secretary. I found this experience noteworthy because it was a direct application of what I learned in my policy evaluation and analysis course."