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)

The arrival of 500 foreign workers in South East Sulawesi's Konawe district will lead to the creation of 5,000 local jobs, Minister of Manpower, Ida Fauziyah, said, defending the decision to allow entry to the workers.

"There are 500 foreign workers scheduled to arrive (in Konawe). With them operating the developed company (that has hired them), then they (the company) can absorb 5,000 local workers, not 5,000 foreign workers," she said in between a meeting with the House of Representatives' Commission IX, as per a statement received here on Wednesday.

Fauziyah further said the company had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Konawe district government on the recruitment of thousands of local workers, which will be carried out gradually.

The number of foreign workers being brought in by the company has also been communicated with the Regional Leadership Communications Forum (Forkopimda), and local governments in South East Sulawesi, including the district and city administrations.

"Of course we also have to ensure the region's readiness and conditions. After everything is prepared, the Foreign Workers Use Plan (RPTKA) will be issued. Once again, we stress that the permit (for the workers’ entry) was issued as there was a commitment (by the company) to employ 5,000 local workers," she added.

In the midst of the impact felt in the employment sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said, she hoped the absorption of thousands of workers could be a solution to generate more jobs.

She said the government is ensuring the foreign workers being brought in have certain skills, are needed by the company, and would be in Indonesia for a certain period of time.

In addition, she also highlighted that there will be a transfer of knowledge from the foreign workers to Indonesian workers, who will carry out operations once they have mastered the technology.