The rainy season in 2020 has arrived. State reserve units in all regions are urgently and actively implementing measures to promptly respond to the extreme weather that may cause damage to national reserve goods, promptly and ready to supply goods to localities in the rainy season.

Mr. Pham Vu Anh - Deputy Director General of the General Department of State Reserve.

Mr. Pham Vu Anh, Deputy Director General of the General Department of State Reserve, spoke to the press about this issue.

Given the extreme weather in the rainy season in 2020, what has the General Department of State Reserve planned to ensure absolute safety of assets and national reserve goods?

Every year, before the rainy season, the General Department of State Reserveissues documents directing Regional State Reserve Departments to review and consolidate commanding boards for flood and storm prevention and combat; develop flood and storm prevention scenarios and plans to ensure safety for national assets, warehouses and reservegoods when natural disasters occur.

In addition, the General Department of State Reserve has requested the Regional State Reserve Departments to be on duty and monitor the development of storms. Specifically, on September 16, 2020, the General Department of State Reserve issued Telegram No. 07/CD-TCDT on responding toStorm No.5 to Regional State Reserve Departments, including Hanoi, Northwest, Hoang Lien Son, Vinh Phu, Bac Thai, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Northeast, Thai Binh, Ha Nam Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe Tinh, Binh Tri Thien, Da Nang, Nghia Binh, South Central Coast, South Central Highlands and North Central Highlands.

Accordingly, the telegramrequired Regional State Reserve Departments to be on duty, regularly monitor and update information on the storm’s development to promptly take measures to prevent and combat the effects of rain and floods.

On October 12, the General Department of State Reserve sent telegram No. 09/CD-TCDT about coping with tropical depressions that could become a storm andNo. 7 to Regional State Reserve Departments of Hanoi, Northwest, Hoang Lien Son, Vinh Phu, Bac Thai, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Northeast, Thai Binh, Ha Nam Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe Tinh, Binh Tri Thien, Da Nang, Nghia Binh, South Central Coast, South Central Highlands and North Central Highlands.

In this Telegram, the General Department of State Reserve also requested the State Reserve Departments from the South Central Coast, Central Highlands to the North to update information about the development of tropical depressions and rain and flooding in the areas, to promptly take preventive measures to ensure the safety of people, assets and national reserve goods.

Thanks to thethoughtful preparation and experience of officers of the Reserve sector in the prevention and response before, during and after each storm, the national reserve assets and goods are always guaranteed.

Recent floods and rain have caused heavy damage to people and assets in some central provinces. Currently, how many provinces have asked the General Department of State Reserve for support fromthe national food reserve,supplies and equipment?

So far, the General Department of State Reserve has receiveddocuments from four provinces (Thua Thien Hue, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri) requesting support from national reserve goods, search and rescue equipment for natural disaster prevention and control.

Provinces requested supportof 6,000 tons of rice from the national reserve resources (Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, 1,000 tons of rice per province; Quang Binh province 3,000 tons of rice) and some items such as life jackets, round buoys, floats, tents, high-speed boats, power generators, chemicals, so that localities can help people overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives.

Currently, based on the requests of the provinces and the current regulations, processes and procedures for providing national reserve goods, the General Department of State Reserve is working with the relevant units to urgently submit to the Ministry of Finance; and report to the Prime Minister to support localities in a timely manner and in accordance with regulations.

To ensure that the national reserve goods are sent as soon as possible to the provinces and people in flood-prone areas, what solutions will the General Department of State Reserve implement?

To ensure the national reserve goodsaresent to provinces and people in flood-prone areasas soon as possible after being approved by the competent authorities, we work closely with the Provincial People's Committees, relevant ministries, sectors and agencies to submit to competent authorities for promulgation decisions to supply national reserve goods to promptly support people in the shortest time, ensuring compliance with the law.

The General Department of State Reserve directs the regional State Reserve Departments to develop plans, prepare vehicles for transport, loading and unloading; inspect the quality of goods in national stockpiles; arrange officers to be ready to process relevant procedures to deliver goods out of warehouses, transportation, and delivery of national reserve goods to ensure quality, sufficient quantity and promptly according to the plan of the People's Committees of the provinces right after decisions are issued by the competent authorities.

At the same time, we also require the Regional State Reserve Departments to strengthen coordination with local governments at all levels in checking, monitoring, managing and distributing, receiving and using national reserve goods that have been provided and supported in accordance with regulations.