Day: April 27, 2023

Some 1,800 learners, teachers and non-teaching personnel who were affected by the recent encounters between government soldiers and the New People’s Army (NPA) in several towns of Masbate province have received psychosocial support services from the Department of Education (DepEd). In an interview on Thursday, Maria Cristina Baroso, DepEd-5 (Bicol) Child Protection Focal Person, said psychological first aid (PFA) was one of the interventions requested by the affected schools during the visit of Vice President Sarah Duterte last week. “The PFA interventions were for the 1,688 learners, 78 teachers, and 13 non-teaching personnel traumatized by the harassment of NPA rebels that usually ended in encounters with government troopers, conducted in the four affected schools from April 24-27, 2023,” Baroso said. There were four schools identified as priorities for the intervention — the Villahermosa Elementary School and Villahermosa National High School, both in Cataingan and the Lucsoan Elementary School and Arriesgado Servilleno National High School, both in Placer town. Baroso said that based on the psychological assessment conducted on April 24-27, five students were found to be “severely” traumatized and need to be closely monitored. “Na-traumatized talaga, kinakabahan sila na baka maulit ung nangyari, and we recommend continous counselling. Some of the manifestations recorded by the registered psychologist, psychometrician, and guidance counselor with a specialization in trauma are some students started to detach from others, they don’t want to talk to other persons even in the community, nawalan ng gana mag aral, affected ang pagtulog and hindi na kumakain ng maayos. Meron din pag naalala ung nangyari eh talagang umiiyak (They are traumatized and nervous that it might happen again, and we recommend continuous counseling. Some of the manifestations recorded by the registered psychologist, psychometrician, and guidance counselor with a specialization in trauma are some students started to detach from others, they don’t want to talk to other persons even in the community, they lost the desire to study, their sleep was affected and they don’t eat properly anymore. There are also some students who cry when they remember what happened),” Baroso said. The team also noted that the incidents aggravated some learners’ existing fears and emotional problems. Baroso noted that during the visit of Duterte who is also the DepEd Secretary, she immediately addressed the need of the Villa Hermosa Elementary School for a perimeter fence that costs PHP1.2 million. The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), Learners Rights and Protection Office (LRPO) and Bureau of Learners Support Services (BLSS) provided the psychological intervention to the pupils and teachers. Aside from the PFA, all the learners received art materials and snacks during the activities. Baroso said aside from four prioritized schools, they will also give PFA to neighboring schools until May.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have arrested 137 persons in anti-criminality operations conducted across the country that led to the recovery and confiscation of several pieces of evidence and the suppression of illegal activities, CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat said Thursday. In a statement, Caramat said the 128 anti-crime operations conducted last Tuesday were in compliance with the call of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. to eradicate various criminal activities and ensure public safety. According to the CIDG chief, 98 manhunt operations were conducted under the campaign against wanted persons, or Oplan Pagtugis, that resulted in the arrest of 33 Most Wanted Persons (MWPs), 13 of whom were classified under regional, 10 provincial and 10 in the municipal/city level. The manhunt operations also netted 65 individuals classified as Other Wanted Persons (OWPs). Meanwhile, 14 suspects were apprehended in the 19 police operations against loose firearms that resulted in the seizure of 18 guns of different calibers and two explosives. Caramat said the campaign against smuggling and manufacturing, distribution and trading of counterfeit items led to the arrest of seven economic saboteurs during four operations that resulted in the seizure of more than PHP1.9 million worth of evidence. Seven police operation under other law enforcement activities (OLEA) resulted in the arrest of 18 persons and the confiscation of evidence worth PHP32,505. ‘Heeding the call of the new PNP Top Cop, the CIDG will continue to boost the conduct of comprehensive police operations throughout the nation through its flagship programs to suppress illegal activities and arrest those wanted by our law,’ Caramat said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has proposed the pilot use of electric cars to transport tourists around the city.

Under the proposal, the city will operate 200 electric cars, each carrying from 5 to 14 passengers, with a maximum speed of 30 km per hour for tours around the city, the country’s biggest economic hub in the south.

Initially, 70 cars with a capacity of 8-10 seats will be put into operation. In the following stages, 60 more cars with 7 seats or less and 70 cars with a capacity of 11-14 seats will be added to the fleet, which will operate 24 hours a day.

Tourists can book the electric car service via mobile app or directly with staff.

The scheme will start from April 30 in District 1, crossing Nha Rong Wharf, Khanh Hoi bridge, and Ton Duc Thang, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Hoang Sa, Hai Ba Trung, Nguyen Van Cu, Vo Van Kiet streets, Calmette bridge and Van Dong port.

In the second phase starting from the fourth quarter this year, the service will be expanded to District 5. In the third phase from the first quarter of 2024, it will cover District 3, District 10 and Thu Duc city.

Earlier, the municipal People’s Committee allowed four businesses to provide electric car services, but only two firms implement the project with two routes around Phu My Hung urban area.

Source: Lao News Agency

The 42nd ASEAN Summit, slated to take place in Indonesia’s Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province on May 9-11, will have eight meeting agendas, according to Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Meetings of the 42nd ASEAN Summit will be organised in two formats, namely the plenary and retreat ones, she told a press conference on April 25, adding that important issues will be discussed thoroughly, effectively and practically.

According to Marsudi, seven of the eight meetings will be chaired by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, including the meeting of ASEAN leaders with the parliament, youth, businesses and the high-level task force.

Two other meetings — the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (IMT-GT) and the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Cooperation — will be led by Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit will begin on May 8 with the Senior Official Meeting agenda and followed by a ministerial-level meeting on May 9. The summit will take place from May 10-11.

One of the locations selected for the ASEAN Summit is Waringin Peak that is scheduled to be the venue for the spouse programme for pairs of heads of state, she said.

Source: Lao News Agency

On April 25, at Napaphai Lower Secondary School, there was held a handover ceremony for 5 secondary schools newly built with a 6.3 billion financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Muen district, Vientiane Province.

The handover ceremony was attended by Deputy Director General of the General Education Department Ministry of Education and Sports, Ms Nuamkham Chanthabury, Deputy Director of the Education and Sport Department of Vientiane Province Mr Thongkhien Latthavan, Governor of Meun district Mr Phonthird Suvatdy, and representatives of relevant authorities.

President of the Triangle Economic Development (contractor) Mr Chanthakhat Chanthalangsy said that the construction of the five secondary schools in Napaphai, Pakchanh, Sengsavang, Namhon, and Nampheun took 15 months to complete.

Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Mr. Phonthird Suvatdy expressed thanks to the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Sports for its attention attached to the human resource development in Meun district, and assured the participants that the district authorities will protect and use the schools to their full potential.

Source: Lao News Agency

A workshop on Women and Intellectual Property (IP): Celebrating Innovation and Creativity was held in Vientiane on Apr 25 to promote protections for creative professionals in the Lao PDR and facilitate collaboration among creatives.

Director General for the Intellectual Property Department at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Santisouk Phounsavath, President of Lao Handicraft Association Souvita Phaseuth, and U.S. Embassy Vientiane Political and Economic Chief Dan O’Hara, co-chaired the workshop sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane and the U.S. Department of State.

The Department of Intellectual Property, the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) of Luang Prabang, and the USAID Lao Business Environment (LBE) Project all made presentations during the event as well. Members of the Lao Handicraft Association, along with leading artisans and creators, attended.

The IP in Design workshop provided training from the MOIC IP Department on Laos’ online IP filing application, a presentation about LBE initiatives, and information about traditional knowledge protection tools.

“Laos’ unique cultural heritage, in particular its textile traditions, are known and appreciated around the world. “The U.S. Embassy supports MOIC in its efforts to protect Laos’ intellectual property so that artisans and creators can grow their businesses, achieve greater recognition of Lao brands, and contribute to the economic development of the Lao PDR,” said Dan O’Hara, Political and Economic Chief for the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. government supports IP promotion and the government of the Lao PDR through a variety of programs, and through coordination with the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) LBE project. LBE is a five-year project to assist the Government of Laos as it enhances the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthens the country’s business environment. LBE works closely with the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (TAEC) and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce on IP and brand development in Lao PDR.

Over the past decade, the United States, through USAID, has supported the Lao PDR in promoting intellectual property, including the amendment of the IP law, training for officials, public-private sector discussion, and the development of the IP website and e-filing portal.

TAEC is a cultural heritage social enterprise in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, founded in 2007 to promote the appreciation and transmission of Laos’ ethnic cultural heritage and livelihoods based on traditional skills.

Source: Lao News Agency