Hello there!

My name is Marco and I'm a data ninja. I work with governments and nonprofits to unlock the potential of data in various applications. I help them by analyzing and visualizing data using innovative tools to inform policy reforms, advocacies, and programs. My approach is to always focus on simplicity, systems, and sustainability.

Featured posts

Who wins if Zimbabwe joins the EITI?
02/20/2020
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Recent news, which the government has not refused, suggested that Zimbabwe is not keen on joining the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Philippines: Will TRAIN run over the mining sector?
02/14/2018

​In his July 2017 State of the Nation Address, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said he would tax miners to “death.”
Have Westerosis benefited from their natural resources?
08/17/2017
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Gold, silver, iron, and copper in Westeros has been exploited for centuries yet extraction only benefited a few great houses and their lords and ladies.

Features from elsewhere
FOI Philippines InfoDataQuest: BETTER BUDGET MANAGEMENT THROUGH DATA-DRIVEN STORYTELLING
His output entitled, "Better Budget Management through Data-Driven Storytelling" examines the government agencies' budget utilization rate by disbursement as a proportion of overall budget allocation. This can assist decision makers in assessing agencies' absorptive ability, benchmarking performance across agencies, and proposing solutions and reforms for more efficient and effective public spending. Read more here
USAID: POWERING A JUST ENERGY TRANSITION GREEN MINERALS CHALLENGE
In March 2023, USAID announced the selection of 20 semi-finalists eligible to advance to the next stage of the JET Minerals Challenge. In April 2023, the semi-finalists participated in an in-person two-day innovation bootcamp, hosted alongside the OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains in Paris, France. Read more here.
EITI: Tackling the energy transition with data
In this blog, the creator of PREDICT, Marco Zaplan, a self-described “data ninja”, answers questions about his prototype, his hopes for the future, and how data can empower stakeholders. Read more here
NewsDay Zimbabwe:  WHO WINS IF ZIMBABWE JOINS THE EITI?
​RECENT news, which the government has not disputed, suggested that Zimbabwe is not keen on joining the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI). Read more here
THE NATIONAL Papua New Guinea:  INFORMATION ON RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT WILL BENEFIT LANDOWNERS, SAYS ANALYST
Landowners can benefit from their resources if information about the development of their resources is made clear, says analyst. Read more here