Day: April 9, 2023

The House leadership on Sunday expressed elation over the ‘very good’ net satisfaction rating the lower chamber received in the December 2022 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). House Speaker Romualdez, in a statement, attributed the high satisfaction rating to his colleagues’ hard work and dedication. ‘As the leader of the House of Representatives, I am proud of our members and their commitment to advancing pro-people legislative measures,’ Romualdez said. He was also thankful to the members of the House for their solid support and cooperation which enabled him to push measures that address the needs of the people. The House, Senate, Supreme Court (SC), and the Cabinet of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. all scored a ‘very good’ net satisfaction rating in the survey. The House got a +56 rating, the Senate secured a +68, while the SC and the Cabinet scored +53 and +50, respectively. Cavite 4th District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said the high rating the House received from SWS did not only reflect the competence of the members but also the leadership. Barzaga said members of the House take their cue from Romualdez, who is ‘one of the most productive, diligent and industrious leaders the lower chamber has ever seen.’ ‘If our leaders are busy, we are all busy. We take after the example of our beloved Speaker. We move at his pace. This is the reason the House of Representatives has been very productive in passing bills and resolutions, owing in no small part to its leaders,’ Barzaga said. The Lower House, before going into the Lenten break, passed 23 of 31 bills prioritized by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Elizaldy Co likewise credited the high public satisfaction rating to the tireless work of Romualdez, reciprocated by the members. ‘This truth can’t be denied: Speaker Romualdez is one of the busiest leaders not only in Congress but in the government as well. He is virtually everywhere – speaking engagements, high-level meetings, economic roadshows and the like,’ Co said. The survey was conducted Dec. 10 to 14 last year, or during the period the House of Representatives passed the PHP5.268 trillion national budget for 2023. Before 2022 ended, the House passed 19 priority bills of President Marcos, including the SIM (subscriber identity module) Registration Act and the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to October this year

Source: Philippines News Agency

Thai police said at least four people were killed in a shooting in Surat Thani province on April 8, with officers still searching for the suspect.

The attack happened in the late afternoon in Khiri Rat Nikhom district, Surat Thani province, about 600 km south of Bangkok.

Four people died, local police confirmed declining to give further details.

Thailand has high rates of gun ownership, witnessing continuous gun violence incidents in the past 12 months. In October last year, a former police sergeant murdered 36 people, 24 of them children, in Nong Bua Lam Phu. Last month, three people were killed and another three wounded in a shooting in Phetchaburi province./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Sunday branded as fake news the robbery incidents that recently circulated on social media involving a Japanese restaurant, a coffee shop and a Chinese eatery. In a statement, the NCRPO said it immediately looked into the alleged crimes in Quezon City that trended on social media but which eventually turned out false or misleading. “Please be informed that the NCRPO takes all reports seriously and after monitoring the said message circulating on several communication platforms, we immediately investigated and validated the said information. As a result of our investigation, we categorically state that these alleged incidents are false and or misleading,” NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo said Sunday. He said the reported incident at a certain Japanese restaurant happened about four years ago. The establishment has since strengthened security and no reports have been submitted since then. The two other alleged crimes at a known coffee shop and a Chinese eatery were also found to be baseless and fake, Okubo said. He advised the public to be responsible in sharing information. “We understand the potential damage and alarm that can be caused by false news and misinformation, particularly when shared widely on social media platforms. We urge all members of the public to verify the information they receive before sharing it with others. We also request that individuals refrain from spreading any false rumors or unverified information that could cause harm or panic to the people in our community,” Okubo said. The NCRPO is working with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group to go after the purveyors of the false reports.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Vietnam Red Cross Society and the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine have provided cash support to 15 needy Vietnamese individuals and households in Kiev, who have been affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Addressing the ceremony to hand over the assistant to recipients in Kiev on April 7, Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thach said that the support is expected to ease the difficulties facing Vietnamese citizens who are still staying in Ukraine amid the conflict. The diplomat expressed his hope that with the tradition of solidarity and mutual support, the Vietnamese community in Ukraine will soon overcome difficulties and stabilise their.

A representative of the recipients thanked the Vietnam Red Cross Society, compatriots at home and the embassy for the support which is of great help in the current context./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday enjoined Filipinos to join hands in creating a more ‘humane, fair and progressive’ society. In his message on the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), Marcos reminded Filipinos to reflect on the sacrifices made by war heroes to protect and restore Philippines’ freedom. ‘As we recollect the sacrifices of our forebears who fought long and hard to defend our nation’s freedom, let us also bear in mind that our actions today determine the future of our country, including the succeeding generations,’ he said. ‘Together, let us strive towards developing a more humane, fair and progressive society that allows our citizenry to relish their liberty and achieve their individual and collective aspirations,’ he added. Marcos called on Filipinos to ‘re-examine’ the values and honor of our forebears by ‘speaking up against discrimination, extending help to those in need, and working towards a better future,’ adding that the legacy of our heroes and heroines came at a great and hefty cost. He likewise urged the public to learn to make ‘wise and sound decisions’ so that we may address our country’s pressing problems with compassion and concern for others. Marcos said the Philippines has faced numerous challenges that tested faith yet showed the world the ‘indomitable spirit’ of every Filipino — from the battles fought in the trenches of World War II to the struggles against insurgent forces. He, however, said the country emerged as a nation that ‘stands tall and proud,’ guided by the principles of ‘justice, truth, and democracy.’ ‘We have staunchly proven time and again that we are never the same after each adversity for we always rise to meet every challenge head-on with grit, grace and determination,’ he added. Day of Valor celebrated every April 9, marks the annual commemoration of the Fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942, and the bravery shown by the Filipino and American soldiers against invading Japanese forces during World War II. The date also commemorates the Bataan Death March, where exhausted Filipino and American prisoners of war (POW) were forced by their Japanese captors to walk some 112 kilometers from Mariveles, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac under the scorching sun with no food and water for days. This year, Marcos declared April 10 as a non-working holiday in observance of Araw ng Kagitingan. Incidentally, the country is also observing Philippine Veterans Week (PVW) which falls from April 5 to 12 this year. The PVW’s theme for this year is “Kagitingan ng mga Beterano, Pundasyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino.” Meanwhile, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) on Sunday urged all Filipinos to observe “Araw ng Kagitingan” with a “grateful heart and a pressing yearning to honor our forefathers for all that they have sacrificed for us.” “Though Bataan fell on April 9, our veterans persisted, and for 93 days of unending barrage, they displayed an unconquerable spirit. That their bodies were tired and bloody, they fought the invading enemies with their heads unbowed,” PVAO administrator Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu said in a statement. As the nation commemorates this fateful day, he urged all Filipinos to continue to carry the legacy of “our forefathers and continue the courage they have upheld in their fight for freedom and liberty.” In a separate statement, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman enjoined Filipinos to continue to recognize and salute the heroic defenders of the country. “Today and always, we owe them our profound gratitude and highest respect,” she said. She also enjoined Filipinos to remember that the first Day of Valor was a day when Filipinos stood ground and fought until the end. “May we continue to honor the story of heroism and extreme sacrifice laid down 81 years ago by forging unity and solidarity with one another toward nation-building,” she said. House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Araw ng Kagitingan is a reminder that Filipinos will always fight on, move forward and prevail with unity. ‘Today, as we commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan nationwide, we honor and recognize the gallantry of our fallen heroes, who willingly laid down their lives so that we can enjoy the blessings of freedom today,’ he said. ‘As we look back into the dark day that we call the ‘Fall of Bataan,’ we must never forget the sacrifices of Filipino resistance fighters who stood up against the might of foreign invaders in World War II, which gave the rest of our nation the inspiration and strength to fight on,’ he added. Romualdez said the country’s bout with the Covid-19 pandemic is proof of the Filipinos’ fortitude. ‘We suffered, we fought and we prevailed,” he said. ‘We will always prevail as long as we are united, and as long as we continue to draw our strength from the virtues of our heroes,’ he said. ‘This day is a testament to Filipino courage and bravery, a fighting spirit that comes to the fore as we face adversity after adversity. This day reminds us of a priceless legacy: that the same courage and bravery our heroes displayed in the crucible of war–in the Fall of Bataan– run in our blood, through our veins.’ he added. Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, meanwhile, enjoined Filipinos to continue to recognize and salute the heroic defenders of the country. “Today and always, we owe them our profound gratitude and highest respect,” she said in a statement. “May we continue to honor the story of heroism and extreme sacrifice laid down 81 years ago by forging unity and solidarity with one another toward nation-building.”

Source: Philippines News Agency

President Vo Van Thuong’s upcoming visit to Laos will create a strong impetus for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of the Vietnam-Laos cooperation and helping the ties become a positive factor in consolidating peace, security, stability and cooperation in Asia and the world, affirmed Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung.

The official trip, slated for April 10 and 11, will be the first overseas one by Thuong since he was elected by the National Assembly as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on March 2.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency at the outset of the visit, Hung said the nations share a special relationship and it has become a common practice for their leaders to choose the other side as the first foreign country to visit after assuming leadership positions.

President Thuong’s visit taking place shortly after his election reaffirms Vietnamese and Lao leaders’ strong commitment to the cultivation of the countries’ great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, the diplomat stated.

According to Hung, given the two countries’ active implementation of their respective National Party Congress Resolutions and socio-economic development plans, their economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, their thriving relations, and the complicated and unpredictable developments in the region and the world, the visit has three main purposes.

Firstly, it aims at affirming that the Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance and give the highest priority to consolidating and cultivating the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Secondly, the Vietnamese President will hold talks with General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on measures to deepen the nations’ all rounded collaboration toward better effectiveness. The two leaders will discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern, especially ongoing extremely complicated developments, in order to boost the Vietnam-Laos common understanding and close, effective coordination across international and regional forums. And

Thirdly, the visit will bring to Lao leaders and people the great affection from the Vietnamese Party, State and people, especially ahead of its traditional New Year festival Boun Pi May./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency