Day: March 4, 2023

MANILA: The whole of Luzon and some parts of the Visayas will experience cloudy skies with rains brought by the northeast monsoon, locally known as “amihan,” on Saturday.

In its 4 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecast cloudy skies with rains over Cagayan Valley, the Bicol Region, Apayao, Aurora, Quezon, and Northern Samar due to the “amihan.”

The same weather phenomenon will bring partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with light rains over Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and Western Visayas.

On the other hand, Mindanao and the rest of the Visayas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds headed northeast will blow over Luzon, the Visayas, and the western section of Mindanao, with moderate to rough seas.

The rest of Mindanao will experience light to moderate winds headed northeast to north, with slight to moderate seas.

The temperature in Metro Manila will range from 21°C to 31°C; Baguio City, 12°C to 22°C; Legazpi City, 22°C to 29°C; Laoag City, 22°C to 31°C; Metro Cebu, 23°C to 29°C; and Metro Davao, 24°C to 32°C.

SOURCE: PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued four people aboard a wooden-hulled vessel off Basilan province, an official said Saturday. In a report shared with the media, Commodore Marco Antonio Gines, Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao commander, said the four were rescued Thursday from M/V Ameerazara, which was found near Malamawi Island, Isabela City, Basilan. Gines said the vessel encountered engine malfunction while transiting from Isabela City to Zamboanga City, prompting the skipper to send a distress message. Upon receiving the message, Gines said the BRP Cape Engaño launched a search and rescue operation, with the assistance of the Coast Guard Station-Isabela and sub-stations Malamawi and Central Pasangen. He said the M/V Ameerazara was towed to the port here while all four rescued were in good condition.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee held the opening ceremony of the 9th Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival 2023, with the theme “I love Vietnamese Ao Dai”, at the Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in District 1 on March 3.

The festival will be held throughout March with many exciting activities, promising to bring memorable emotions and unique experiences to Vietnamese people and international tourists alike.

On the opening night, outstanding collections of famous designers were introduced to the public with hundreds of Ao Dai models.

Activities within the framework of this year’s Ao Dai Festival will be held at historical sites, cultural relics, tourist destinations, and architectural works of Ho Chi Minh City, thereby contributing to the promotion of the image of Ho Chi Minh City as a “Safe Destination – A Lively Journey”.

This year’s Ao Dai Festival features the participation of 23 Ao Dai designers from across the country, along with the companionship of 19 famous artists, singers, actors and characters in the role of image ambassadors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc said through the eight previous events, the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival has become a cultural tourism event.

The city also plans to organise events to promote the festival to the world with the goal of turning the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival into an international cultural tourism event./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – South Kalimantan has a high probability of producing a golden generation due to its strategic human resources, according to the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN).The province, well-known for producing coal and diamond, has a high probability because it is entering the demographic bonus period, Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo noted in an official statement, Saturday.

Entering the demographic bonus period means that the number of members of the population in the productive age in that region is higher than those in other age groups.

This is also supported by the fact that stunting prevalence in South Kalimantan experienced a sharp decline, from 30 percent in 2021 to 24.6 percent according to the 2022 Indonesian Nutrition Status Study (SSGI).

“Not every region can be as lucky as South Kalimantan,” Wardoyo stated.

However, Wardoyo suggested that the preparation to produce this golden generation should not only focus on physical health but also mental health.

This is especially important since the Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data in 2013 indicated that the number of people suffering from mental emotional disorders had reached 9.8 percent.

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Thus, Wardoyo urged related regional governments to handle this through efforts, including by preventing children from quitting schools, child marriages, and teenage pregnancies.

Wardoyo also highlighted that the total fertility rate in South Kalimantan was still at 2.34 on average. Although this figure is already good, Indonesia is targeting to reach 2.1. Thus, the dissemination of information on family planning should be intensified.

Speaker of the North Hulu Sungai Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) Almien Ashar Safari expects regulations from the central government related to stunting mitigation to be put in place.

Thus, it can create policy uniformity in South Kalimantan and facilitate policymakers in creating innovations related to the Stunting Reduction Acceleration Program.

“The South Kalimantan Provincial DPRD wishes to contribute and participate to go directly to the people to convey (information on) stunting mitigation,” Safari remarked.

Source: Antara News Agency

Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), on March 3 appreciated the active and effective contributions, creativeness and efforts to overcome difficulties of medical officers and soldiers of the level-2 field hospital and peacekeepers of Vietnam at the UNMISS.

He made the recognition when talking to Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN, at the first meeting in 2023 of the UN Security Council with representatives from 79 countries sending soldiers to the UNMISS.

Ambassador Giang thank the UNMISS leader for creating conditions for Vietnam’s peacekeeping force to fulfil their tasks.

He affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to continue sending military and police personnel to participate in the UN peacekeeping activities in general and UNMISS in particular in the coming time.

In his remarks at the meeting, the ambassador reaffirmed the country’s support for UNMISS’ mission, and emphasised the importance of building trust among related parties, including the Mission, authorities and local people, to create a favourable environment for the election and the process of building the Constitution of South Sudan.

Vietnam is willing to continue contributing to this effort through the implementation of and participation in support activities, he said.

The ambassador also shared Vietnamese peacekeepers’ efforts and creativeness in fulfilling their duties as well as taking care of the life, safety and health of the local people, thus consolidating and strengthening the cohesion and trust between them and the UN peacekeeping mission./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency