Philippines: More than 100 injured in factory fire
More than 100 workers, including three Japanese, were injured and at least three were missing in a fire that hit a huge factory 26km south of Manila, said Philippine authorities on February 2.
Hanoi (VNA) - More than 100workers, including three Japanese, were injured and at least three were missingin a fire that hit a huge factory 26km south of Manila, said Philip𓆏pineauthorities on February 2.
The fire also sent thousands of employeesscampering to safety.
The incident occurred at a three-story factory specializing in pre-fabꦬricatedhouse parts for export to Japan, located in a special economic zone in GeneralTrias of Cavite province.
The fire is believed to start in a sectionwhere a machine used to create house insulation materials overheated. About 5,000 workers were on duty when thefire struck. Some people jumped from windows to escape. Among the injured, 10 peoplewere in critical condition. The fire was under control after nearly 18hours but has not been fully extinguished, according to Philippine officials.Fire fighters hope to enter and inspect the factory on late of February 2. In 2015, a fire that rapidly spread in arubber slipper factory in a northern Manila suburb killed 72 people, promptingthen President Benigno Aquino III to order a thorough inspection of some300,000 factories in metropolitan Manila. It was one of the worst blazes in thecountry after a 1996 disco fire that killed 162 people in Manila.-VNA
The Indonesian government has deployed over 22,000 soldiers, policemen and firefighters along with 24 aircraft to extinguish forest and agriculture fires in the western parts of the country.
At least 23 people were killed, 20 were wounded and 17 others went missing after a ferry with about 200 people aboard caught fire off the coast of Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 1.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
A photo of the fire (Source: AP) 
