VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A Philippine military plane carrying troops crashed in a southern province Sunday after missing the runway on July 4, 2021. (Photo: Facebook/Rotary Clubs of the Philippines) - 

At least 17 people were killed when a Philippines Air Force plane carrying troops crashed on landing in the south of the country and broke up in flames on Sunday.

"So far 40 wounded and injured were rescued and 17 bodies recovered. Rescue and recovery is ongoing," Defence Minister Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement.

Ninety-two people, most of them army personnel, were on board the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft when it crashed on Jolo island in Sulu province around midday, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement.

Military chief Cirilito Sobejana said the plane had "missed the runway" and crashed while trying to land.

"While transporting our troops from Cagayan de Oro (on the southern island of Mindanao), it missed the runway, trying to regain power but it didn't make it," Sobejana told local media, describing the accident as "very unfortunate".

"Responders are at the site now, we are praying we can save more lives," Sobejana told AFP.

Sobejana said the 40 rescued were being treated at the nearby 11th Infantry Division hospital.

Pictures from the scene showed flames and smoke pouring from wreckage strewn among trees as men in combat uniform milled around. A large column of black smoke rose into the blue sky.

Many of the passengers had recently graduated from basic military training and were being deployed to the restive island as part of a joint task force fighting terrorism in the Muslim-majority region.

The military has a heavy presence in the southern Philippines where militant groups, including the kidnap-for-ransom outfit Abu Sayyaf, operate.

C-130 aircraft, the work horses of the air force, are used to transport troops and supplies. They are also often deployed to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

A military spokesman, Colonel Edgard Arevalo, said there was no indication of any attack on the plane, but that a crash investigation had not begun and efforts were focused on rescue and treatment.

The accident comes after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed last month during a night-time training flight, killing all six on board.

Three pilots and three airmen died when their S-70i went down near the Crow Valley training range north of Manila, prompting the grounding of the entire fleet.

The country ordered 16 of the multi-role aircraft from a Polish firm that made them under licence from the Sikorsky division of US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Eleven have been delivered since late 2020//CNA

President of ASPEK Indonesia, Mirah Sumirat. (FOTO ANTARA/HO-Aspekindonesia.org) - 

The Indonesian Association of Labor Unions (ASPEK Indonesia) has made an earnest request to President Joko Widodo to continue to protect workers' rights during the enforcement of emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM) for Java and Bali

"We support any government effort to contain the COVID-19 spread in Indonesia. However., we also appeal to the government to protect the rights of workers related to certainties about jobs, wages and welfare," ASPEK Indonesia President Mirah Sumirat said in a written statement released on Saturday.

She noted a quite few companies failed to pay workers and laid off workers unilaterally when the government enforced several times public activity restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The companies did that on the pretext of COVID-19 pandemic, she added

Hence, the Manpower Ministry had to tighten the supervision of the companies which fail to pay workers and lay off workers unilaterally during the emergency PPKM, she said.

"Emergency PPKM should not become an excuse for employers to shun obligation to pay workers and lay off workers unilaterally," she remarked.

With the second wave of COVID-19 infections driving rates of hospitalization and deaths to record highs, the government has decided to impose emergency restrictions in Java and Bali Islands from July 3 to July 20, 2021.

The new restrictions aim to cut daily cases to below 10 thousand and entail a work-from-home guidance for all non-essential sectors and the continued closure of schools and universities.

During the emergency restrictions, public amenities like beaches, parks, tourist attractions, and places of worship will remain closed, while restaurants will be allowed to only offer take-away or delivery services//ANT

TNI conducts vaccination activities in Indonesia-Malaysia border area - 

The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)'s 1206 Putussibau military regional command conducted vaccination activities for 185 residents living near the Indonesia-Malaysia border area in Batang Lupar Sub-district, Kapuas Hulu Dustruct, West Kalimantan Province.

"The mass vaccination program is implemented in cooperation with the TNI, Polri (Indonesia's Police), Puskesman (community health center), and the community who are quite enthusiastic," First Lieutenant Assistant Timur Edy, commander of the Batang Lupar Sub-district military office, said here on Saturday.

Timur said that he only received 10 vials of vaccine, while the public was enthusiastic about getting the shots to prevent the COVID-19 infections.

He expressed his hope to receive more vials of COVID-19 vaccine to outreach more residents in the border area, in accordance with the instruction of President Joko Widodo.

"Mass vaccination is one of our efforts to break the chain of the COVID-19 spread. Of course, in handling the pandemic, we need synergy from all parties, including the community," he noted.

He called on the public in border area to increase awareness and remain vigilant against the COVID-19 transmission. Indonesia saw a record increase in daily COVID-19 cases on July 3, 2021, with 27,913 new infections and 493 deaths reported across the country. The number of single-day recoveries stood at 13,282, while active cases were pegged at 281,677.

Since the government announced the first COVID-19 cases on March 2, 2020, the tally of infections has so far reached 2,256,851, while the death toll has touched 60,027.

With the second COVID-19 wave leading to a drastic spike in infections in several regions, particularly Jakarta and other cities on Java Island, the Indonesian government has imposed restrictions on public activities starting July 3 until 20, 2021//ANT

Kuta Beach is deserted on Saturday (July 3, 2021), the first day of the imposition of emergency restrictions to contain a surge in coronavirus cases. (ANTARA FOTO/Fikri Yusuf/foc) - 

The Indonesian government said the first day of imposition of emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM) in Java and Bali went smoothly on Saturday.

"From various reports compiled from the fields until this afternoon, the implementation of the emergency PPKM went smoothly, in an orderly manner, and in accordance with the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 15 of 2021," Jodi Mahardi, spokesperson for the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, said in a press statement broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat's Youtube account here on Saturday.

If there are any irregularities, the local governments and field officers must immediately evaluate and intervene to correct them, he advised.

"Remember, this emergency PPKM action is to save lives. The President's orders are clear. We are taking more decisive and measurable steps," he remarked.

Mahardi also reiterated that Indonesia's COVID situation is currently not okay owing to a drastic spike in infections.

Indonesia saw a record increase in daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 27,913 new infections and 493 deaths reported across the country. The number of single-day recoveries stood at 13,282, while active cases were pegged at 281,677.

"This unusual condition requires extraordinary measures. The transmission must be controlled. Hence, it has been agreed with the local governments that community activity restrictions are to be carried out up to the sub-district level," Mahardi said.

With the second wave of COVID-19 infections driving rates of hospitalization and deaths to record highs, the government has decided to impose emergency restrictions in Java and Bali Islands from July 3 to July 20, 2021.

The new restrictions aim to cut daily cases to below 10 thousand and entail a work-from-home guidance for all non-essential sectors and the continued closure of schools and universities.

During the emergency restrictions, public amenities like beaches, parks, tourist attractions, and places of worship will remain closed, while restaurants will be allowed to only offer take-away or delivery services//ANT