Category: General

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received executives of several major Japanese economic corporations in Hiroshima city, Japan, on May 20 on the occasion of his attendance at the expanded Summit of the Group of Seven (G7).

At a reception for Yoshida Akio, Representative Executive Director of AEON Co. Ltd, PM Chinh highly valued the positive and effective contributions of AEON to the development of retail and export sectors in Vietnam.

He suggested that AEON select Vietnam as its global business hub and continue investing in more shopping centres and outlet malls in suburban areas. Furthermore, he encouraged AEON to invest in the construction of shopping centres in more cities and provinces with high average per capita income, dense population and tourism potential like Quang Ninh, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, the Central Highlands, Khanh Hoa, and An Giang.

The PM also proposed AEON bring more Vietnamese goods to the global supply chain, especially goods of Vietnam’s strength such as apparel, footwear, aquatic and agricultural products.

Yoshida, for his part, said Vietnam is the biggest investment destination for AEON globally, with over 1.18 billion USD invested. AEON has opened six shopping centres in major Vietnamese cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Thua Thien Hue, and more.

Agreeing with PM Chinh’s proposals, Yoshida affirmed that in the coming time, AEON will develop about 20 shopping centres in Vietnam, focusing on supermarket and entertainment facilities. It will also expand the import of Vietnamese goods for distribution in over 20,000 shopping centres in Japan while offering scholarships to Vietnam for human resources training, as proposed by the Vietnamese leader.

In the morning the same day, PM Chinh held a working session with Prof. Ochi Mitsuo, President of Hiroshima University; Kazuhisa Matsumoko, CEO of Satake Corporation; Yamasaka Tetsuro, Chairman of Balcom Corporation; and leaders of seven businesses from the central and southern regions of Japan.

He praised the initiatives put forth by Hiroshima University and the businesses from the central and southern regions of Japan to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in various areas in the coming time, especially in agriculture, education and training, human resources development, digital transformation, green transition, climate change adaptation, knowledge economy, circular economy, and private hospitals. The PM wished that Hiroshima University would study the establishment of training facilities and branches in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese leader asked firms from the central and southern regions of Japan to work closely with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka, ministries and agencies to materialise their plans.

The Vietnamese Government is committed to providing support and creating favourable conditions for Japanese enterprises, and businesses from the central and southern regions of Japan in particular while doing business in Vietnam, he said.

In a separate meeting with Hamamoto Hirotaka, President & CEO of Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd, PM Chinh hailed the corporation to pursuing the project on natural gas exploitation at Block B for many years, and expressed hope that the natural gas from Block B would soon serve Vietnam’s O Mon thermal power plants. He suggested Mitsui continue cooperating with and investing in Vietnam, especially in the development of green and clean energy that align with global trends and contribute to Vietnam’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Earlier on May 19 evening, the Vietnamese PM also hosted Fujimoto Masayoshi, CEO of Sojitz Corporation which has 17 joint ventures in Vietnam and an estimated revenue of around 1 billion USD.

He hoped that with its strong potential, Sojitz will continue expanding its operations in Vietnam, contributing even more to the socio-economic development, particularly in industrial parks and renewable energy.

The leader asked Sojitz to work closely with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and relevant localities to address any difficulties and obstacles during the implementation of projects, as well as create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises, especially small and medium-sized ones, to join Sojitz’s supply chain./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam’s permanent representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Pham Viet Anh had affirmed the country’s commitment to fully and responsibly implement the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) while attending the Fifth Review Conference to examine the CWC operation held in The Hague from May 15 to 19.

Anh, who is Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands, lauded significant achievements obtained by member states in the destruction of declared chemical weapons and the OPCW’s indispensable role as an important tool to maintain security and peace for a world without chemical weapons in particular and weapons of mass destruction in general.

The ambassador reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent stance on backing non-proliferation of and complete and verifiable disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons. Vietnam condemns any use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances and for any motive, he stated.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese delegation proposed that all activities of the OPCW should strictly comply with the functions and tasks specified in the CWC; their publicity, transparency, objectivity should be enhanced and politicisation prevented; and cooperation and dialogue should be promoted to resolve differences.

Vietnam urged the OPCW to promote its functions and capabilities to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of countries in developing the chemical industry safely and securely, for peaceful purposes; facilitate the utilisation of human resources from developing countries, with a focus on geographical balance; and support the idea of building and scaling up regional centres to pool resources serving the implementation of the convention, including carrying out an initiative to establish an ASEAN regional centre on CWC implementation capacity building.

Vietnam also suggested promoting the role of the Centre for Chemistry and Technology (ChemTech) in supporting equipment and training staff for member countries; and opening up more employment opportunities at ChemTech for officials from member countries, especially developing ones.

The CWC was signed in 1993 and came into force in 1997. Vietnam inked the convention from the first day – January 14, 1993. So far, the OPCW has been operating for 26 years and member countries have destroyed more than 99% of the declared chemical weapons under its control. The US has committed to destroy the remaining weapons before September 30 of this year./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The government is sparing no effort to ensure water security amid a looming El Niño, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said on Saturday. NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. said the government is looking for more water sources and monitoring existing ones to make sure the country has adequate supply once El Niño hits full throttle. “Meron po tayong tinatawag na whole-of-government approach para mapangalagaan itong water security natin sa napipintong El Niño (We have the so-called whole-of-government approach to ensure water security amid a looming El Niño),” David said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City. “Meron tayong iba’t ibang ahensya at sektor ng ating pamahalaan na naghahanda. Pinaghahandaan po ang posibleng pagpasok ng El Niño ngayong taon na ito (We have various government agencies and sectors that are already preparing for a possible El Niño crisis this year).” The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said recent conditions and model forecasts indicate an 80-percent probability that El Niño would emerge between June and August and may persist until the first quarter of 2024. El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could cause dry spells and droughts in some areas. In other areas, above-normal rainfall conditions during the southwest monsoon season (habagat) may also be expected. David said the NWRB is monitoring the level of the country’s water reservoirs, especially the Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan, considering a reduced supply during the dry spell. Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of the water requirements of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. “Sa kasalukuyan ay nasa normal na lebel ang Angat Dam at kaya po nating bigyan ‘yung pangangailangan ng water supply sa Metro Manila (To date, the water level in Angat Dam is still normal so we can provide the water supply needed in Metro Manila),” he said. Master plan Jose Dorado Jr., Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) deputy administrator for engineering and technical operations, said there is a master plan to avert a possible water crisis during the dry season. Dorado mentioned that water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc.’s modular water treatment plant in Cavite and a new water treatment plant in Parañaque City are among the initiatives undertaken to ensure adequate supply in the country. Manila Water Co. Inc. and the other concessionaire, Maynilad, also operate deep wells that could help augment the water supply when Angat Dam’s supply depletes. Meanwhile, MWSS Corporate Office division manager Patrick Dizon said they have sought the assistance of Singapore’s Public Utility Board to address the poor quality of water in Laguna province. “Ang challenges na na-e-experience natin sa Laguna, hindi maganda ang water quality (One of the challenges we are experiencing in Laguna is the poor quality of water),” Dizon said. “Nakipag-coordinate kami sa Public Utility Board ng Singapore. Sila ay pupunta sa Manila next week para i-assess (We coordinated with the Public Utility Board of Singapore. They will come to Manila next week to assess [the situation in Laguna]).” He noted that they have sought guidance for correct operation or technology. Data from the Laguna Lake Development Authority showed a high concentration of blue-green algae, a bacterium that affects water quality but serves as food for bangus (milkfish) and tilapia. ‘Maynilad began dredging the portion of the lake near its facility’s intake structure to minimize vulnerability to spikes in turbidity,’ the company said in a recent statement. ‘It has also been replacing the filters of its treatment plants more frequently than the filter’s expected lifespan.’ In April, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sought a whole-of-government approach and the institution of protocol-based and scientific long-term processes that would address El Niño. Marcos ordered government agencies to prepare for the possible impacts and to intensify the campaign to increase public awareness of water and energy conservation.

Source: Philippines News Agency

An additional 500 American citizens, including former US president Barack Obama, have been indefinitely barred from entering Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. Among the newly blacklisted are significant figures, officials, lawmakers, experts, and heads of military-industrial companies, the ministry said in a statement. Moscow said the travel ban was introduced in response to repeatedly imposed anti-Russian sanctions by the administration of US President Joe Biden. “It is high time for Washington to learn that not a single hostile attack against Russia will be left without a strong reaction,” the ministry said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Local farmers are urged to adopt a balanced fertilization strategy (BFS) to address the high cost of imported synthetic fertilizers and low soil fertility. The surge in prices of inorganic fertilizers and the declining soil fertility level in the country are two of the pressing challenges that need to be addressed, Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Chief Science Research Specialist Karen Bautista said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City. She said farmers may opt to employ the proper combination of organic fertilizer, inorganic fertilizer, and biofertilizer. Synthetic fertilizers cost between PHP3,000 and PHP3,500 per bag during the pandemic from 2020 until early 2022 from the previous PHP1,500 in 2019. Apart from being costly, inorganic fertilizers are also energy-intensive in terms of production, Bautista said. “It imposed a heavy toll on our farmers. Hindi po sila maka-afford na bumili ng mga input na karamihan ay imported synthetic fertilizers. ‘Yun po ay isa sa major challenges (They could not afford to buy inputs that are mostly imported synthetic fertilizers. That is one of the major challenges),” she said. “Isa pa po doon, nagkakaroon din ng imbalance ng nutrients sa ating mga lupa kung patuloy po ang paggamit natin ng synthetic fertilizers ng hindi tine-test ang ating mga lupa (There would also be an imbalance of nutrients in soil, if we continue to use synthetic fertilizers without testing the soil).” Citing the recent National Soil Fertility Mapping conducted by the BSWM nationwide, Bautista said there is an 82 percent moderately low to low levels of soil fertility. “Ang ating mga lupa ay mababa ang contents ng mga major nutrient katulad ng nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium na nandun sa mga kadalasan na ina-apply natin (Our soil has low contents of major nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium that we usually apply),” she said. Bautista said local farmers may use compost, vermicompost, animal manure, biomass residues, biofertilizers, and organic fertilizers as alternatives to synthetic and imported fertilizers. “Ine-encourage natin ang ating mga magsasaka na gumamit ng balanced fertilization strategy upang matugunan po ang ating mahal na paggamit ng synthetic imported fertilizers at ma-promote po natin ‘yung local production ng ating mga alternative inputs (We are encouraging our farmers to use balanced fertilization strategy to address the rising prices of synthetic imported fertilizers and promote the local production of alternative inputs),” she said. “We also provide trainings on how to use alternative inputs as part of the BFS. Then, ‘yung isa pa pong benefit ng (the othe benefit of) alternative inputs ay (is) reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who concurrently serves as agriculture chief, announced in March that the administration would introduce the use of biofertilizers and farmers would be given proper training on how to use them. On April 27, Memorandum Order 32 was issued to establish guidelines for the distribution and use of biofertilizers to increase yield and promote growth in rice production.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Five fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) died in a series of clashes with troops of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) in the hinterlands of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental Saturday morning. The bodies of the unidentified rebels, belonging to the NPA’s Central Negros Front 1, are being retrieved by soldiers, police, and disaster response personnel for turnover to the Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station, the 62IB said in a report. Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said in a radio interview the troops engaged about 15 communist rebels during the initial 10-minute encounter in Sitio Napiluan. As the enemy withdrew after the first firefight at 5:05 a.m., the soldiers again clashed with six rebels in Sitio Oway-Oway at 5:40 a.m. At past 7 a.m., the blocking team of 62IB also engaged five withdrawing rebels in a five-minute firefight. According to the 62IB, led by commander Lt. Col. William Pesase Jr., the troops launched combat operations after receiving information on the planned atrocities of the NPA in neighboring Moises Padilla and La Castellana towns. During the clearing operation, the soldiers recovered several firearms, including an M16 rifle, Uzi machine pistol, KG9 machine pistol, two caliber .38 pistols, two homemade 12-gauge shotguns, and ammunition of assorted firearms. Also found were two units of hand-held radio, a keypad mobile phone, 15 backpacks, a bandolier, an NPA Flag, medical paraphernalia, food supplies, war documents, and personal items. The latest skirmishes came after the encounter in Sitio Lower Tiyos, Barangay Quintin Remo on April 18 that claimed the life of Jose ‘Jojo’ Albores, one of the leaders of the ‘kangaroo court’ under the Central Negros Front 1 of the Leonardo Panaligan Command. Albores’ group was tasked to kill members tagged as government assets and civilians who refuse to support the armed struggle.

Source: Philippines News Agency