The latest labour statistics, released this week by the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs, revealed that since December to March this year, an additional 20,700 people are out of work.

Among the one million unemployed, the group with the highest unemployment rates were university graduates or those holding higher degrees. An estimated 190,900 graduates and degree holders, an increase of more than 35,000 people over the same period last year, cannot find work.

About 118,900 college graduates could not find jobs, an increase of over 2,000 since last year, according to released figures.

By contrast, the number of jobless intermediate school graduates witnessed a downward trend. Only about 60,200 people in this category were unemployed, a small bright spot in this quarter’s labour bulletin.

The first quarter labour information also showed that 53.29 million have jobs nationwide, a decrease of 211,120 people compared to the final quarter of last year.

Deputy Minister Mau blamed the situation on the slowing economy in the first quarter of this year, which has had a direct impact on the job market.

There has been a reduction of about 1.23 per cent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in agriculture, forestry and seafood. This has put these sectors at the top of the list of those suffering from job losses, along with processing and manufacturing industries, as well as those firms that repair, and perform wholesale and retail sales of automobiles, motorbikes and engines.

Lacking practical skills

Labour experts say that a mismatch between employer requirements and graduate skills is the main reason why degree holders are facing employment problems.

Dr Bui The Duc, deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Publicity and Education Commission, told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper that more than two million labourers were working at about 300 industrial and processing zones across the majority of provinces and cities.

The training for workers remained weak while the quality and structure of human resources had yet to meet the demands of enterprises, he said.

According to domestic and foreign experts, human resources in Vietnam are of a lower quality than in many developing countries in the region, and are being out competed in the labour market.

Many businesses, especially foreign-invested ones, refuse to employ graduates and instead want to conduct training themselves as they do not trust the quality of training from educational institutions in Vietnam.

Deputy Minister Mau said that in the long term, the skills of labourers must be improved. The unemployment rate would continue to increase if the knowledge and skills of job seekers continue to be misaligned with what the market wants, he said.

Future hopes

Dao Quang Vinh, director of the Institute of Labour, Science and Social Affairs, predicted that in the second quarter, 53.49 million people would have jobs, an increase of only 0.4 per cent compared to last quarter.

“The good news is that the unemployment rate of working age people is expected to decrease, thanks to the GDP increasing by 6.17 per cent this quarter as predicted by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM),” Vinh said.

He said that the processing and manufacturing industries, construction, media and communications would attract more employees.

According to Phu Huynh, an economic and labour expert from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in the Asia-Pacific region, using the jobless rate to evaluate growth in the developing economy does not fully reflect the status of the national labour market.

Besides the unemployment rate, several other items of information should be added to the labour bulletin of Vietnam including figures on impoverished workers, vulnerable job groups, the percentage of agriculture jobs, labour productivity and average wages, he said.

The 4.7 trillion rupiah (US$345.61 million) terminal will be able to handle 25 million passengers a year, adding to the airport’s current capacity of 52 million.

“The terminal is our answer to passengers’ dreams for an airport that has a large capacity, which is more comfortable and has better facilities and services,” Haerul Anwar, a spokesman for state airport operator Angkasa Pura II, told The Straits Times.

There will be skytrains to shuttle passengers between all three terminals, and commuter trains to take them to the city in less than an hour.An automated baggage handling system featuring at least 13 conveyor belts, 206 check-in counters, and 38 self check-in and 12 bag drop counters, are expected to lead to swift clearance and shorter queues. Officials hope that with the opening of the new terminal, Soekarno-Hatta would be able to rival Changi as well as Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), and lure international passengers to choose Jakarta as a transit point.

Haerul disclosed that airlines would be given discounts on landing fees to offset the “refuelling costs which are 20 to 24 per cent higher than our neighbours’ “.

He said the airport authority also intended to “showcase our deep culture and heritage and local talents to attract travellers”, adding that art exhibitions, cultural shows and local dances will be held regularly.

Analysts, however, remained sceptical about the ambitious plans to take on Changi and KLIA.

“It will take our airport 20 years to reach Changi Airport’s standard. These improvements are just the first step towards a long journey,” said former lawmaker and aviation analyst Alvin Lie.

Indonesia’s aviation industry sorely lags behind other countries’, with a dismal air safety record, flight delays, poorly skilled workers and sloppy maintenance, said Dudi Sudibyo, a senior editor of aviation magazine Angkasa.

Transport Ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuharjo said the new terminal was part of efforts to spruce up 29 international and 236 domestic airports across the country.

He told The Straits Times: “The demand for air transport is growing. The airport needs a makeover. We want to upgrade the facilities and optimise the integration of the aviation system.”

“Timor Leste […] has manifested its desire to be part of Asean since the very beginning of our inception in 2002. And that desire, the commitment of Timor Leste, has always been raised in numerous meetings, forums in the region and beyond, and at the bilateral level,” he said.

Timor Leste officially submitted its application letter to be considered an Asean member in 2011, during Indonesia’s chairmanship.

Soares said the mechanisms were the AseanCoordinating Council and the technical or working level, which were mandated to assess Timor Leste’s readiness covering all three important pillars: the political and security, the economic and the sociocultural pillars.

“All three pillars [have undergone] assessment, […] so now we are basically waiting for the Asean side […] to make a final decision about our accession,” he said.

With regard to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s commitment, Soares said Timor Leste was very much grateful.

“Indeed, during his visit to Timor Leste, [the president] continued to reiterate the strong commitment of Indonesia and he will do whatever he can in his capacity […] to push for our accession to Asean.”

“Asean very much lies on Timor Leste’s foreign policy priority; our desire to be part of Asean is indeed to further […] safeguard our own regional identity, because we are one of the only countries in Southeast Asia that does not yet belong to any regional organisation.”

Soares credited Asean as a unique and dynamic regional organisation.

“At the time when Asean established itself, it was mainly focused on political peace and stability. But a few decades later, Asean expanded on its concentration by looking beyond political stability, into what is the most important [aspect] in our globalised world today: economic integration and competitiveness,” he said.

“Being part of Asean will further safeguard Timor Leste’s own independence and sovereignty, and of course, peace and stability in our region.”

On the other hand, Soares said Timor Leste could also be a bridge between Asean and the Pacific.

“At the same time, Timor Leste can also contribute beyond Asia Pacific through [its] own linkages and partners,” he emphasised.

Soares pointed to the fact that Timor Leste could connect Asean with the community of Portuguese-speaking countries, the CPLP, which are located in Africa, Europe and Latin America.

“They offer vast economic opportunities, but also for political and sociocultural cooperation. So that can also be another important [way] Timor Leste contributes to Asean,” Soares said.

“(Should) the incoming President curse on air, the network will be liable,” the MTRCB official said.

While the MTRCB has no control over personalities and celebrities featured in news programmes, it has oversight functions over what public affairs programmes broadcast every minute of the day, said Solomon who was part of an MTRCB team touring the country to campaign for “intelligent viewership” and to popularise the revised classification rating system for television programmes.

‘Bleep!’

“As President, (Duterte) should know the limits of speaking to a television audience … I am sure he knows he should not utter (obscenities),” Solomon added of the Davao official known for letting loose a barrage of expletives and curse words in his everyday speech and media pronouncements.

Manoli Supnet, another MTRCB board member, said network operators are responsible for what goes on air, especially television technicians who should always be on their toes during live public affairs programmes.

“They should be alert since they are the ones who control the equipment that ‘bleeps’ out the cuss words uttered by some interview subjects,” she added.

Under the MTRCB’s Guidelines on Language, shows rated G (for general audiences) are not allowed to air swear words, both as verbal or nonverbal expressions. “Profane, offensive and sexually suggestive language or gestures” are not allowed, either.

In programmes considered for parental guidance (PG), the MTRCB noted that while shows “may contain mild and infrequent swear words and menacing language,” the successive or frequent use of “strong swear words or sexually derived expletives shall not be allowed.”

A bit of leeway is allowed in programmes classified as Restricted or R-13, meant for viewers who must be 13 or older, where “moderate swear words and menacing language consistent with the context of the scene” are allowed. Also allowed is the use of “strong swear words and expletives, provided that its use is infrequent and not vulgar … and all references to sex are suitable to viewers who are at least 13 years old.”

Penalties

In a recent media briefing, Duterte said he intends to control his cursing once he assumes the presidency.

Another MTRCB board member, Manny Buising, warned that “If [Duterte] can’t help himself, it is the network that would be penalised.”

According to Article 201 of “Offences Against Decency and Good Customs” of the Revised Penal Code, offenders can be meted out the penalty of prision mayor, or imprisonment of from six years and one day to 12 years), or a fine ranging from 6,000 pesos to 12,000 pesos(US$128 to $256), or both fine and prison term.

Buising cited the case of noontime show host Vice Ganda “who sometimes cannot control what comes out of his mouth.”

But every time that happens, the MTRCB official said, “it is not him who meets with us, but the network.”

Added Supnet: “Network owners should self-regulate. We always say that the right of everyone is important and we should not surrender our right to select what should or should not be watched.”

The district was doubly rewarded that year when a 60km paved road was completed, linking the remote and undeveloped area to central Vientiane.

This gave the district a huge boost by providing a fast connecting route to the economic opportunities offered by the commercial developments taking place in the capital. The new road also made Sangthong a more attractive prospect for developers and people looking for a new area to explore.

Wanting to capitalise on their good fortune, district authorities are making plans to attract tourists by showing a different side of the country’s capital.

By doing so they are following the current socio-economic development plan adopted by the district’s 4th Party Congress in 2014, which placed a strong emphasis on tourism.

Head of the district’s Information, Culture and Tourism Office, Saveng Xanai, recently told Vientiane Times “Following the development plan agreed on at the congress, we are focusing on developing three particular tourist attractions. At present we are trying to decide which one we will embark on first.”

The first site under consideration is located along the Mekong River, where various leisure facilities would be offered.

The second area is along the Nam Sang river, which would attract people looking for stunning scenery and a rural idyll. It has been compared to the Nam Xong river in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province, and has many big trees.

The third area of interest is along the Nam Ton river. This location has waterfalls and is also the place where the President Souphanouvong spent 10 days after he and other leaders escaped from Phonkheng Jail where they were imprisoned during the Indochina War.

Saveng said “Don Kangkhong island, situated in the Mekong River, is also under consideration as a tourism site, but would be developed by the Vientiane authorities, who plan to build a resort, restaurants and other facilities.”

Following the development plan, the district also plans to use its agricultural strengths as a tourist attraction. There are various projects centred on the cultivation of organic rice and other crops, which would be of interest to visitors, Saveng added.

Deputy Head of the district’s Agriculture and Forestry Office, Somdeth Bouphakham, said recently “Our office is involved in the organic cultivation of rice and other crops. We are also promoting five locally-produced items under the ‘One District, One Product’ scheme, which we hope will be of interest to visitors.”

The production of organic rice involves 284 families who live in eight villages by the Nam Ton river. This year they hope to export 100 tonnes of rice to Europe and to grow and export more in the coming years.

The Republic of Korea is also running a project in which 10 families grow organic crops on an area of nearly one hectare in Pakthaep village. Families who live by the Mekong and Nam Sang rivers also grow crops on the riverbank and sell organically farmed vegetables at local markets.

The district also has four large cattle and goat farms, and a banana plantation. Several business operators are interested in setting up pig and fish farms, which could also become tourist attractions.

The district has 35 villages and more than 75,900 hectares of land, of which 29,900 hectares are agricultural land.

A recent statistics report issued by the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism showed that Laos’ tourism sector countrywide generated over US$725 million in 2015.

Tourism now ranks third in terms of income generation. The minerals sector tops the list and generated over US$1.292 billion in revenue for the government in 2015.

Second place was occupied by other industries combined, yielding over US$917 million, while electricity generation was fourth on the list with more than US$495 million, and agricultural products came in fifth with revenue of US$319 million.

The number of tourist arrivals in 2015 was over 4.6 million people. This was an increase of 13 percent compared to 2014, when some 4.1 million people visited Laos.

WB lead economist Philip O’Keefe said Indonesia was among countries in East Asia and the Pacific that was aging very quickly.

“It is a risk where people will have more poverty in old age. […] in Indonesia, those aged over 70 years old are much more likely to be poor,” he said a discussion in Jakarta on Monday.

The Social Affairs Ministry’s director general for security and social protection, Harry Hikmat, said Indonesia needed an Rp 6.72 trillion ( US$494 million ) budget per year to overcome poverty among senior citizens.

He said the figure might be higher as the number of old people in Indonesia was estimated to increase in the years to come.

Citing official data, Harry said the number of the elderly in 2014 reached 18.8 million but it would grow to 48.2 million in 2025 and 80 million in 2050.

“If the budget problem can’t be solved, I am worried poverty rate in Indonesia is getting worse,” he said.

The initiative presented to a forum coorganised recently in Hanoi by the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA), the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) and the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE), was highlighted as one of the most effective solutions for the protection of biodiversity, which is increasingly under threat in Vietnam.

The purpose of the initiative was to help promote different stakeholders and partners to jointly provide technical support, policy advice, institutional capacity strengthening and resources for the sustainable use of ecosystem services, experts at the forum said.

One of the initiatives introduced last year was the signing of a cooperative programme on biodiversity preservation 2015-2020 between the VEA and VNFOREST, the two authorities that share a common function and task in managing biodiversity.

This programme provided for the coordinated implementation of State management in nature conservation and biodiversity through the development of legal documents, policies, plans and inspections, Dong said.

The Department of Nature Conservation of VNFOREST and the Biodiversity Conservation Agency of VEA were focal points for the implementation of the programme, he added.

Both agencies have jointly developed a collaborative work plan for 2016-2017, according to the VEA official.

According to the Vietnam’s 5th National Report to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity for the period 2009-2013, biodiversity in Vietnam was seriously threatened due mainly to increasing population pressures, over exploitation of natural resources, climate change, the fragmentation of state management of biodiversity, and a lack of policy and regulatory conformity.

While biodiversity and ecosystem services played a vital role in the livelihoods of rural populations in the country, including millions of people living in the proximity of forests and in coastal areas, there was a lack of effective inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms in biodiversity management and preservation.

There was also a lack of collaboration in response to overlapping functions among relevant ministries and agencies.

The forum entitled, “Building a platform for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem services,” was supported by the German Development Co-operation (GIZ) commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development and the United Nations Development Programme. It was held to celebrate yesterday’s International Day for Biological Diversity 2016 with the theme of, “Mainstreaming biodiversity: sustaining people and their livelihoods.”