Category: General

DAVAO: Mayor Sebastian Duterte has called on Dabawenyos to stay united despite all the challenges they face in their lives as he officially opened the month-long celebration of Araw ng Dabaw.

Duterte, who led the opening ceremony Friday night, urged Dabawenyos to remain in unity despite their differences in beliefs and religion.

‘If you are in Davao, everyone is equal. Whatever religion you have, let us be united to avoid misunderstanding,’ he said as he emphasized the value of respect that keeps Dabawensyos united.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte, who had also served as mayor of Davao City, said the celebration is a display of the rich history of the city and its people.

‘The celebration of Araw ng Dabaw is a display of the length and depth of the history, pride, and heritage of the Dabawenyo people. This proves the strength, ability, and honest management and care not only of the local government but also to the people of Davao City,’ the vice president said in her video message.

She also lauded
the resiliency of the Dabawenyos amid the challenges they faced.

‘Dabawenyos remain strong, optimistic, and diligent to rise and strive for the success of all. Hopefully, amid the changes, everyone will continue to interact, collaborate, and support so that we can achieve the dreams for the well-being of the residents of our city,’ she added.

The celebration formally began with the Misa Pasalamat (Thanksgiving Mass) and was immediately followed by Pasiugdang Pagsaulog (grand celebration), and a concert.

From Monday until March 15, the city will conduct the “Dabawenyo Ako (I’m a Davaoeño)” campaign, a school-based activity that intends to inform and educate children about the rich history of Davao.

A Davao Heritage Walk will be held on March 15 and 16 while the grand parade will be held on March 17.

Meanwhile, the Mutya ng Dabaw pageant coronation will be held on March 15.

Hanoi: Vietnam’s representative agencies in Japan have asked local authorities to speed up investigations into the case of a Vietnamese citizen who was alleged to be murdered in Higashiomi city of Japan’s Shiga Prefecture on February 26, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The case is under investigation and Japanese police have arrested a suspect, the ministry said on March 1.

Along with coordinating with local authorities in clarifying the case, Vietnamese representative offices in Japan have worked with relevant agencies at home to identify the victim and contact the family of the deceased to prepare for his funeral in line with the law of Vietnam and Japan, it added./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: The Intramuros Administration (IA) is waiving the entrance fee to all its sites for women and girls on March 8 to mark the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD).

On top of the popular Fort Santiago, visitors will have free access to Casa Manila Museum, Baluarte de San Diego, and the Museo de Intramuros.

The initiative is in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women as the country celebrates the 2024 National Women’s Month, with the theme ‘Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas: Kakayahan ng Kababaihan Patutunayan!’ (Equal Society in the New Philippines: Recognize Women’s Capabilities!).

The IA will also host the Weave Your Way mini weaving workshop by Hibla on March 16 and 17 at Museo de Intramuros and the cultural show “Dalaw at Sayaw” (Visit and Dance) at Fort Santiago on March 3, 10, 17 and 24.

March is observed as National Women’s Month based on the annual United Nation-designated IWD every March 8.

In the Philippines, it has become a celebration of women’s accomplishments and a platform
to promote gender equallity through activities that align with local and international accords, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025), the Framework Plan for Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals, among others.

Apart from Intramuros, the National Museum of the Philippines, also in Manila, is dedicating a special lane for women thrice this month:

– Girls and teens aged 7-19 (March 13)

– Senior citizens (March 20)

– Mothers, solo-parents, and women aged 20-59 (March 27)

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is likewise waiving its hazard assessment report processing fee for all women stakeholders throughout March.

Meanwhile, all commuters will get free bus rides from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to Cubao, Quezon City, and vice versa on March 6, 13 and 20.

Hanoi: A ‘Xuan Que Huong’ (Homeland Spring) programme was held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel on March 1 to bring the Lunar New Year (Tet) atmosphere to overseas Vietnamese (OVs) living, working and studying in the country.

Ambassador Ly Duc Trung briefed participants on notable political, economic, and diplomatic achievements of Vietnam in 2023, affirming that the Vietnamese State always has favourable policies for the Vietnamese communities abroad.

He took the occasion to present certificates of merit to outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the citizen protection work in Israel, where an armed conflict has been ongoing for several months.

Dan Oppenhelm, a healthcare expert who has been involved in supporting various projects in Vietnam, expressed his deep impression with the Southeast Asian’s scenic landscapes, dynamic cities, and peaceful villages.

He said that he is very excited to attend the event, which is the biggest cultural event for OVs on the occasion of the L
unar New Year.

The Vietnamese community in Israel consists of approximately 500 who have acquired citizenship, 80 long-term labour migrants, and around 120 short-term agricultural trainees./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Saturday that the national government will provide credit and insurance assistance to farmers and fishers affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said at least PHP500 million credit assistance will be provided to farmers and fishers for them to cope with the dry spell caused by the phenomenon.

About PHP1.8 billion in insurance claims will also be distributed to the affected farmers and fishers, de Mesa added.

At least PHP25,000 credit assistance will be given to each affected farmer and fisher and a maximum of PHP20,000 insurance claims may be granted as well.

‘Ang gobyerno natin ay naglaan na ng PHP500 million na credit assistance. This is PHP25,000 per affected farmer and fisher and then ‘yung ating insurance claims about PHP1.8 billion maximum of PHP20,000 (each) ang pwedeng ipamahagi (Our government has allocated PHP500 million in credit assistance, this is PHP25,000 per affected farmer and fisher, and then t
he insurance claims about PHP1.8 billion, maximum of PHP20,000 can be distributed),’ he said.

Also, de Mesa said the DA is readying the distribution of PHP5,000 financial assistance to rice farmers and PHP3,000 fuel subsidy to both farmers and fishers provided under the national budget.

‘Pinabilis din namin iyong pagbibigay ng PHP5,000 doon sa rice farmers financial assistance plus iyong PHP3,000 na fuel subsidy na nasa general appropriations (We also expedited the giving of 5,000 pesos financial assistance to rice farmers and 3,000 pesos fuel subsidy that is in the general appropriations),’ he added.

As of Feb. 25, damage to agriculture was estimated at PHP357.4 million, hitting mostly farms in the Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula Regions.

The phenomenon has affected 7,668 farmers so far.

Paris: The Vietnam Global Leaders Forum 2024 (VGLF 2024) will take place from March 30-31 in Paris, expecting 100 prominent Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin individuals with global influence in all fields from over 20 countries and territories worldwide.

The participants are the winners of international prizes, entrepreneurs, large investors, experts, scientists, and artists.

The event, the second of its kind, will be held following the initiative of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global), aiming to gather resources and put forth practical actions for the development of the homeland.

AVSE President Nguyen Duc Khuong said that with a multi-dimensional view, short- and long-term action plans, and detailed projects, the forum will help unlock Vietnam’s potential and elevate its standing in the global economic and geopolitical map.

This year’s event will focus on how to connect the diverse and strong resources of Vietnamese people around the world to propel the country’s developmen
t and make use of the previous success to help Vietnam create breakthroughs, another representative of the association said.

The first VGLF, held in 2019, attracted more than 200 guests and 20 Vietnamese and international delegations.

AVSE Global, a non-profit organisation headquartered in Paris, includes intellectuals, leading experts, and prestigious scientists.

With the support of 2,000 experts and a network of about 10,000 people, AVSE Global conducts strategic programmes and projects to boost Vietnam’s sustainable development and prosperity through 12 networks of experts, 10 international seminars and forums, 20 training programmes, and more than 10 large-scale consulting projects in various fields./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency