Day: July 18, 2021

MANILA– Philippine ruling party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), elected Energy Secretary, Alfonso Cusi, as the new president, during a national assembly, convened by Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte yesterday.

Duterte, the party chair, led the national assembly, held in Clark Freeport Zone, in Pampanga province, north of Manila. In his speech at the assembly, Duterte thanked his party mates for their continued support of his leadership.

“Your presence here sends a clear and resounding message to everyone that, our party is as strong as ever and that we are united in further consolidating our ranks, until the end of my term and beyond,” Duterte said.

Duterte, 76, ends his single six-year term in Jun, 2022. The PDP-Laban has been the ruling party since 2016, under the Duterte Administration.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

HANOI– The 15th National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam, the country’s top legislature, will gather for its inaugural session from Jul 20 to 31, focusing on decisions about high-ranking personnel of the state apparatus.

Bui Van Cuong, secretary-general of the NA, made the remarks at a press briefing held here, about the agenda of the session.

At the sitting, Vietnamese lawmakers will spend three working days to review and decide on 50 high-ranking positions of the state apparatus, Cuong said.

In particular, the NA will elect the NA chairperson, the state president, the prime minister and the vice state president, among other top positions, and decide on the number of cabinet members, as well as, approve appointments for those positions.

At the last session of the 14th NA in late Mar, lawmakers elected Vuong Dinh Hue, as the NA chairman, Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the state president, and Pham Minh Chinh as the prime minister, among other personnel decisions.

During the upcoming session, the NA will also review important reports, including the country’s five-year socio-economic development plan, the five-year financial plan, and medium-term public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period.

Compared to a previous plan, the duration of the session will be shortened by five days, to ensure utmost safety for participants, amid the complicated development of COVID-19 in the country, Cuong said.

On May 23, Vietnam held a general election, where 499 deputies to the 15th NA, the country’s parliament for the 2021-2026 tenure, were elected.

 

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

PHNOM PENH– The death toll from COVID-19 in Cambodia has surged to 1,106, after 30 new fatalities were reported today, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.

The Southeast Asian nation also confirmed 845 new infections, including 315 imported cases, pushing the national total caseload to 67,181, the ministry said, adding that, 975 other patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 58,930.

Cambodia launched an anti-COVID-19 inoculation drive on Feb 10.

MoH’s secretary of state and spokeswoman, Or Vandine said, 5.76 million people, or 57.6 percent of the 10 million targeted adult population, have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

“With this achievement, awakening individual and family’s joint action to suppress virus transmission is a must now, to prevent a large scale community transmission, if we do not want to see the tragedy in health and economy,” she wrote on Twitter.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

DAVAO CITY— The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has repatriated a total of 3,000 distressed Filipinos from the United Arab Emirates, following the arrival of its 7th special chartered flight from the UAE since the start of the pandemic. Bringing home 359 Overseas Filipinos—including 112 pregnant Filipinos and 12 persons with disabilities—the flight arrived at Davao International Airport this morning.

“We are working double time to make sure our kababayans in distress get the much-needed repatriation the soonest. Pregnant women, PWDs and those with special needs are given due consideration to expedite their return home,” stated Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola.

The Philippine government’s successful repatriation of Filipinos from the UAE was made successful by the Department, through its Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA), with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, and the Regional Consular Office in Davao (DFA RCO Davao).

Other government agencies were in full support during the arrival of the repatriates, with the City Government of Davao leading the provision of ground assistance together with the DFA Regional Consular Office Davao, Department of Health, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the Department of Tourism.

“We send our appreciation to our partner agencies, especially to the City Government of Davao, for the invaluable assistance to the repatriates upon their arrival. This is a clear example of the whole-of-government approach that the administration promised in assisting our distressed OFs,” added Undersecretary Arriola.

In addition to their return flight ticket, free quarantine facility and swab test provided by the government, all repatriates received a Php10,000 (USD200) reintegration assistance, in line with the instructions of President Duterte and as recommended by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr.

 

 

Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs

The Police are appealing for the next-of-kin of the late 80-year-old Mr Pang Meng Kew to come forward.

Mr Pang, a former resident at 51 Choa Chu Kang North 6, Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Nursing Home – Yew Tee, had passed away on 09 July 2021.

Anyone with information is requested to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

 

 

Source: Singapore Police Force