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Lesson
The program provided the environment for private sector participation (PSP) in the sector, although this should only be seen as the start and not the conclusion. Further, independent power producers need to be contracted whenever possible, while carefully monitoring contingent liability risks. More PSP could be encouraged in water and wastewater operations,perhaps adopting franchise or concession arrangements, viability gap financing, or availability payments.

Project Number: 54151-001, 54151-003
Project Name: Palau Public Utilities Corporation Reform Program (Subprograms 1 and 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
While the shift to renewable energy generation has occurred, and although 20% is the target, much more is needed if costs are to be lowered further and contributions to greenhouse gas reductions can be achieved. Higher targets are needed for renewable energy in the future.

Project Number: 54151-001, 54151-003
Project Name: Palau Public Utilities Corporation Reform Program (Subprograms 1 and 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
The indicators for measuring the accomplishment of the program can be further improved by identifying more precise indicators. For instance, in addition to approval dates of policy-based actions, the inclusion of simplified monitoring and reporting arrangements under the indicative program monitoring framework should be considered as appropriate.

Project Number: 52018-001
Project Name: Disaster Resilience Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The inclusion of expected losses from health-related national emergencies must be considered in the program design of contingency disaster financing given the experience in COVID-19. Because health is now a part overall hazard, this will somewhat provide a quick guide in fund disbursements in case of such occurrences.

Project Number: 52018-001
Project Name: Disaster Resilience Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The program design benefited from interaction with ADB staff preparing similar Comprehensive Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (CPRO) programs in other Pacific countries. ADB’s CPRO policy and guidelines were still being refined while the program was under Preparation. Managing the changing internal guidelines and expectations while also coordinating virtually (due to COVID-19 restrictions) with Vanuatu, ADB’s Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office, and ADB headquarters added significant pressure.

Project Number: 54179-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Fiscal Response Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Basing the reporting requirements on the monitoring systems of the government’s own response plan and providing dedicated assistance for monitoring and evaluation will help reduce the burden of the government in meeting the reporting requirements of massive budget support, pandemic response programs such as the CPRO. Budget support mechanisms are relatively new for the borrower, as most development assistance is delivered as project funding or through technical assistance.

Project Number: 54179-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Fiscal Response Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Early engagement with stakeholders and design of subsidy programs responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups could expedite the implementation of complex policy reforms. The success of this program highlights the importance of the government's continuing commitment in improving the performance and sustainability of the Palau Public Utilities Corporation.

Project Number: 54151-001, 54151-003
Project Name: Palau Public Utilities Corporation Reform Program 
Report Date:
Lesson
Continued advisory support is required to sustain the momentum of reforms in Palau's energy sector. ADB provided substantial advisory support through ADB staff and by engaging experts through technical assistance operations to help the Palau Public Utilities Corporation (PPUC) implement the agreed policy actions and prepare background studies for both subprograms.

Project Number: 54151-001, 54151-003
Project Name: Palau Public Utilities Corporation Reform Program 
Report Date:
Lesson
Continued investment in policy dialogue is essential to ensure sustainability and the best resilience outcomes for the country. The policy actions identified in the program’s policy matrix, as well as future target actions identified in the follow-on program’s post-program policy framework, provide an opportunity to further strengthen DRM in Palau and to identify gaps and needs for future support in DRM. The program initiated a long-term policy dialogue with Palau for ADB assistance for DRM.

Project Number: 52018-001
Project Name: Disaster Resilience Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The success of the program highlights the importance of the government’s continuing commitment to improve disaster risk management (DRM), including disaster preparedness and response. Adopting a country-led set of policy actions, developed in an open, participatory manner, ensured strong ownership and commitment from the government and reinforced policy dialogue and coordination with various stakeholders.

Project Number: 52018-001
Project Name: Disaster Resilience Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Projects designed as emergency assistance loan (EAL) require stronger project performance monitoring system (PPMS) to closely monitor progress and achievements. Since EAL is usually designed fast, there is greater chance that project scope, design, and targets are fluid and call for a very robust monitoring system to ensure that baselines and targets are developed and monitored during implementation and at completion. These include a strong support to measure project benefits that are crucial for EIRR calculations.

Project Number: 49319-001
Project Name: Cyclone Pam Road Reconstruction Project
Report Date:
Lesson
The flexibility of EAL allows the design and monitoring framework (DMF) to be enhanced during implementation. This was not fully maximized in this project. Other than adding project outputs under the additional financing, outcome indicators remained to have attribution issues. Outcome indicators for improved transport infrastructures could have helped provide data to calculate EIRR at completion (para. 13). Quality review, including interdepartmental review at appraisal, can provide guidance in this regard.

Project Number: 49319-001
Project Name: Cyclone Pam Road Reconstruction Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Coordinating or shared reporting and the use of government’s own systems would ease the burden of monitoring and reporting the implementation of crisis response programs. Developing a monitoring system that can be effectively implemented during a pandemic when there are competing demands on the time of staff, who are already stretched, is problematic. This is accentuated when other partners impose similar reporting requirements. Coordinated or shared reporting and reliance on government’s own internal systems would lessen this burden.

Project Number: 54245-001
Project Name: Health Expenditure and Livelihoods Support Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Changing internal guidance and expectations created additional pressure in designing ADB’s COVID-19 response programs and this has to be managed more effectively in future similar situations. At the time this program was prepared, ADB policy and guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic response option (CPRO) were still being developed, and managing changing internal guidance and expectations added a significant amount of pressure.

Project Number: 54245-001
Project Name: Health Expenditure and Livelihoods Support Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Development partners are a great source of assistance in designing and implementing crisis response programs. The program design and implementation benefited greatly from the presence in Palau of the EconMAP team in situ in the Ministry of Finance (MOF), analyzing economic trends and providing regular advice, and the program team’s coordination with the International Monetary Fund and the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre team in Fiji. Given thin capacity in MOF, such support has been invaluable.

Project Number: 54245-001
Project Name: Health Expenditure and Livelihoods Support Program
Report Date: