VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Trade Ministry, through its attaché in Manila, held a virtual business-matching event to boost exports of cleaning products to the Philippines.


"Foresight and innovation are some (of) the keys to boosting national export performance amid the world economic condition that has been affected by COVID-19. The virtual business-matching carried out by all trade attachés overseas has shown that the Ministry of Trade is making serious efforts to boost exports," said director general of National Export Development, Kasan, in a statement received by Antara news agency in Jakarta on Wednesday.


Meanwhile, the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Manila, Lazuardi, said that, at the moment, the Philippines has significantly increased imports of cleaning soaps. Based on data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), the nation’s imports of soap products have seen an increase of US$37.4 million, or 27 percent, in the first quarter of 2020.


"The rise in imports of cleaning soaps by the Philippines is also due to the rise in the people's awareness on the importance of cleanliness amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows that there is a significant (export) potential for Indonesian products in the Philippines, especially for soaps. This is the opportunity that we need to take advantage of as far as possible," he said.


Lazuardi said he believed the business-matching event led to initial orders for five containers of Indonesian soap products, valued at US$85,000, as part of an agreement between Indonesia's PT Indokemika Jayatama and the Philippines’ Arvin International Marketing Inc.


Aside from that, the business-matching also helped bridge a meeting between PT Indomop Multi Makmur, an Indonesian exporter of cleaning products, with City Hardware, one of the largest retailers of construction materials in the Philippines with 70,000 stores.


PT Indomop Multi Makmur has routinely exported retail cleaning tools to HomeAid Philippines since 2007. HomeAid Philippines supplies building materials in the Metro Manila region. PT Indomop Multi Makmur exports products worth US$40 thousand to US$60 thousand annually.


The market share of Indonesian laundry soap products to the Philippines in the first quarter of 2020 was 31.64 percent. For the same quarter, the value of exports was pegged at US$9.3 million, an increase of 21.6 percent compared to the same period last year, when the figure stood at US$7.6 million.


In particular, exports of broom products, mops, and brushes increased by 82.9 percent, reaching US$193 million from US$105 million recorded in the same period last year. (ANTARA)

Citing data as of Wednesday noon (July 8), Achmad Yurianto, government's spokesperson for COVID-19 Response, confirmed that 800 COVID-19 patients recovered, thereby bringing the total recovery count to 31,585 out of the 68,079 confirmed cases.

"It is apparent that the transmission outside is yet ongoing," Yurianto stated at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Indonesia saw 1,853 new cases since the noon of Tuesday (July 7) until Wednesday noon, while in the afternoon, an additional 1,853 new cases were recorded, thereby bringing the total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 68,079. Moreover, 50 people succumbed to the disease, with the death toll reaching 3,359.

On Wednesday, 22,183 specimens were tested at various laboratories across Indonesia, thereby bringing the total number of examined specimens to 968,237.

The country also reported 38,498 people under monitoring (ODP) and 13,636 patients under surveillance (PDP).

The COVID-19 pandemic has reportedly spread to 456 districts and cities in the country's 34 provinces.

The five provinces adding to the number of cases were East Java, with 366 new cases, including 205 recoveries; Jakarta, 357 new cases and 147 recoveries; Central Java, 205 new cases and 70 recoveries; South Sulawesi, 166 new cases and 15 recoveries; and North Sumatra, 156 new cases and 10 recoveries.

Furthermore, 17 provinces recorded new cases below 10.

Bangka Belitung, Jambi, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, West Sumatra, Riau, and West Papua were the seven provinces, with no newly recorded COVID-19 positive patients.

Bali added 31 cases, while 45 recoveries were recorded.

Provinces with no fresh cases comprised Bangka Belitung, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, West Sumatra, Riau, and West Papua. (ANTARA)

Twenty six orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) have been released into their natural habitat over the past seven months by Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Ministry and its partners in Kalimantan Island.

Six of the 26 orangutans were released by the BOS Foundation, Environment and Forestry Minister, Siti Nurbaya, told members of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR) at a hearing session in Jakarta on Wednesday. Commission IV oversees agriculture, forestry, and maritime activities.

The minister said the remaining 20 orangutans were released into their natural habitat by the Orangutan Foundation International YIARI.

Six baby orangutans were born during the first half of this year in three conservation areas — Bukit Raya National Park, SM Lamandau, and Gunung Palung National Park, she added.

Speaking about orangutan rescue efforts, she said 16 orangutans had been rescued by several regional offices of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) on the islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The first rescue was conducted by the BKSDA-Central Kalimantan officials on January 3, 2020, and the last rescue was conducted by the BKSDA-North Sumatra officials on June 15, 2020, she added. (ANTARA)

Toba Caldera was inscribed on the List of UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) at the 209th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board held in Paris, France, on Tuesday (July 2).

"With this inscription, Indonesia can develop the Toba Caldera Geopark via the Global Geoparks Network and the Asia Pacific Geoparks Network, especially in connection with empowering the local communities," Indonesian Ambassador to UNESCO Arrmanatha Nasir noted in a statement on Wednesday.

The Indonesian government has succeeded in convincing UNESCO that Toba Caldera is a genuine evidence of high geological phenomena and traditional heritage with local communities, especially in terms of the culture and biodiversity.

In this context, UNESCO member countries supported the preservation and protection of Toba Caldera as part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The endorsement to include Toba Caldera on the UNESCO Global Geopark List offers Indonesia, particularly the local community, an opportunity and responsibility.

It could also help drive local economic growth and sustainable development in the region. Developing it as a sustainable geotourism site opens opportunities for local people to promote culture, local products, and create broader employment opportunities.

The final endorsement of Toba Caldera as one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks had gone through a lengthy process and various stakeholders, both the central and regional governments as well as the local community living in the Lake Toba region, have made unified efforts to this end.

"The preparatory process to obtain the UNESCO recognition for Toba Caldera demonstrates high commitment and sound cooperation from all parties in Indonesia since the start of the process, right from collecting data to holding various workshops as well as preparing and negotiating nomination documents to be submitted to the UNESCO," the ambassador remarked.

Toba Caldera made it to the UGGp list following an assessment and decision by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council at the IV UNESCO Global Geoparks International Conference held in Lombok, Indonesia, on August 31 - September 2, 2019.

Toba Caldera in North Sumatra Province was formed from a super volcanic explosion that occurred 74 thousand years ago. The base of the caldera is filled with water and is the largest lake in Indonesia.

The beauty of Toba Caldera and its rich cultural assets make Lake Toba one of Indonesia's top tourist destinations included on the "10 New Bali" list. (ANTARA)