Everyone wants to come to Hoa Thinh.

Hoa Thinh - Photo 1.

Ambassador of Pho Love, Truong Giang, interacts with children in Hoa Thinh commune - Photo: QUANG DINH

Upon arriving in Hoa Thinh commune, Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc - representative of Pho Nha - immediately rushed to the kitchen area, beginning to prepare the ingredients and simmer the broth for 500 bowls of pho that would be served to the local people the following day.

For Mr. Duc, Hoa Thinh was a completely unfamiliar place, one he had never heard of before. In mid-November 2025, news of the devastating floods there constantly appeared in the media.

Speaking about his reasons for participating in the "Pho of Love" program, Mr. Duc shared: "Just hearing the word 'love' made me want to be involved. This year, the program is being held in a place that has just experienced a terrible natural disaster, and I want to contribute a little to help the people there."

Pho is available everywhere, but Mr. Duc said that it's not easy for people living far from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to taste the distinctive flavors of Pho Thin Bo Ho, Pho Phu Gia, etc. Therefore, the gathering of famous pho restaurants here is one of the things that makes Pho Yeu Thuong even more meaningful.

Central Vietnamese cuisine is unique. Therefore, adjusting the spices to suit local tastes or maintaining the original flavor of pho becomes a "challenge" for the chefs.

"This morning I tried the pho here and found it quite salty, but I didn't adjust the seasoning. Each region has its own taste. Preserving the authentic flavor of Saigon pho also helps people experience something different from their familiar dishes, and understand the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine ," said Mr. Duc.

Next to Pho Nha is the steaming Pho Phu Gia stall run by Mr. Nguyen Tuan Trung. Before taking a break after a busy morning, he tastes the broth one last time and says it's a "spoon of love": "A bowl of pho at a restaurant is also a symbol of love, but here it's multiplied many times over. Serving people who have just experienced losses in the devastating floods makes me feel that the value of pho is truly special, difficult to describe in words."

Hoa Thinh - Photo 2.

Children in Hoa Thinh eat pho at Phat Tai - Photo: QUANG DINH

Pho Phat Tai brings its "mobile pho cart" to Pho Yeu Thuong (Pho of Love). Instead of going to Hoa Thinh to cook pho, Pho Phat Tai prepares everything at its central kitchen in Ho Chi Minh City. The broth and boiled meat are frozen, vacuum-sealed, and transported in refrigerated trucks.

"The bone broth simmering process still takes 19 hours as usual, but we need more bones, meat, and refrigerated trucks to transport the ingredients safely."

"Only the onions and cilantro are sourced from Phu Yen to ensure freshness and the distinctive aroma of the region, combined with Phat Tai's pho broth to create a bowl of pho that is both delicious and infused with local flavors," Mr. Trinh Nguyen Hung Dung, representative of Phat Tai pho, revealed about the special bowl of pho at this year's Pho of Love event.

Youth brings warmth to the people.

Amidst the days when the land of Hoa Thinh still smelled of mud after the historic flood, the commune leaders could not hide their concern when talking about what the people had just gone through when the "Pho of Love" program came to the community.

Mr. Le Trung Hien, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, said that Hoa Thinh was formerly a "flood-prone" area of Tay Hoa district, where rain falls quickly and water rises just as fast. However, the flood at the end of last year was unprecedented.

"The area where the commune's People's Committee headquarters is located is on high ground and has never been flooded before. Yet this time, the water rose to 1.5 meters, 2 meters higher than the peak flood of 1993. On the afternoon of November 18, 2025, there was no sign of water, but after just one hour, the entire commune was completely cut off," Mr. Hien recalled.

Hoa Thinh - Photo 3.

Pho brands prepare ingredients in Hoa Thinh commune for the "Pho of Love" day - Photo: QUANG DINH

The floodwaters receded, leaving behind a mountain of worries about livelihoods. Mr. Hien said that 17 villages in the commune were flooded, 15 of which were completely submerged, affecting more than 31,000 people. Thousands of hectares of rice paddies and lotus (the main crops of the area) suffered heavy damage. Livestock such as buffaloes, cows, chickens, and ducks, which were the people's "savings," were also swept away or died in large numbers.

"The government has provided basic support to overcome the difficulties, but what people are most worried about right now is long-term livelihoods. There is a severe shortage of seedlings, especially rice and lotus seeds, as well as livestock and poultry, so that people can rebuild their lives," Mr. Hien shared.

Mr. Hien also expressed that, in that situation, the concern and support of Tuoi Tre newspaper and social programs were of great significance to the people in the flood-stricken areas.

"It's not just about material things; the most valuable thing that Tuoi Tre newspaper brings to the people is warmth, trust, and a feeling of not being left behind. The people here are very much looking forward to the newspaper's programs, so that after the floods, life will not only be about recovery but also about having the opportunity to rise up," Mr. Hien said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Phuong Van Lanh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hoa Thinh commune, said that the recent flood not only caused heavy damage to property but also disrupted people's livelihoods for a long time. "Many households lost everything, from houses to fields, cattle, poultry, and assets accumulated over a lifetime. Some families had just recovered from the pandemic, but now they have to start all over again after the flood."

According to Mr. Lanh, the local authorities' biggest concern right now is how to help people stabilize their lives and resume production as soon as possible. The Secretary of the Hoa Thinh Commune Party Committee expressed his gratitude for the attention and support of Tuoi Tre newspaper, as well as organizations, businesses, and readers nationwide.

"The programs of Tuoi Tre newspaper not only provide material support but also boost the morale and confidence of people in flood-affected areas. The local authorities are always ready to cooperate and create the best conditions for the programs to reach the right people and meet the right needs, helping the people of Hoa Thinh overcome this difficult period as soon as possible," Mr. Lanh said.

Journalist Tran Xuan Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, said that the "Pho of Love" program was the result of a very elaborate preparation and arrangement process, with great support from Dak Lak province, Hoa Thinh commune, and the contributions of artisans and businesses from many regions across the country.

Everyone wants to come to Hoa Thinh - Photo 2.

Journalist Tran Xuan Toan

"More than a month ago, this area suffered a severe natural disaster. That's why we decided to choose Hoa Thinh as the location for this year's 'Pho of Love' event," he said.

According to Mr. Toan, for the past nine years, the Pho Day program organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper has always chosen a special day called "Pho Day of Love".

"We would like to express our gratitude and thanks to the local leaders, the Hoa Thinh commune government, and the resilient people who have overcome the storms and floods, gradually recovering from the natural disaster to return to normal life."

"Through this program, we hope to contribute to alleviating the recent difficulties and losses, spreading the spirit of sharing and solidarity among people across the country," he added.

Pho chefs from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi arrived in the flood-stricken area of Hoa Thinh early in the morning. Having traveled hundreds of kilometers, they shared a common goal: to offer the warmth of a steaming bowl of pho to alleviate some of the hardships and difficulties the people of Hoa Thinh had just experienced.

Each pot of broth, each noodle, each piece of meat is meticulously prepared, not only to bring the distinctive flavor of pho from Saigon and Hanoi, but also to convey affection, care, and hope to families who need warmth the most right now.

"Bringing pho to flood-affected communities is a very meaningful gesture in this year's pho campaign. I sincerely hope that these warm bowls of pho, carrying the heartfelt generosity of the organizers, many pho restaurant owners, and benevolent businesses, will help share and encourage the people of Hoa Thinh to recover after the historic flood," said Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade.

Everyone wants to come to Hoa Thinh - Photo 3.

Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade

Mr. Phuong commented that the "Pho of Love" program's arrival in Hoa Thinh commune at the beginning of the new year was very appropriate, as, in addition to the pho, the gifts from the program would help the people, especially the children, have a joyful Tet holiday filled with the love of people from all over the country.

Mr. Phuong has high hopes that the "Pho of Love" project, following its events in Lang Nu and Hoa Thinh commune, will continue its journey of compassion, spreading warmth from each bowl of pho to communities still facing many difficulties.

From there, extending from Pho Day, Pho of Love also has the mission of honoring pho in its own unique sense: love and sharing in a delicious, hot bowl of pho.

"I have high hopes that simple acts like a hot bowl of pho or a small gift will spread a spirit of love and connection, along with the desire that no one will be left behind during difficult times," Mr. Phuong added.

Within the framework of Pho Day on December 12th, the "Pho of Love" program has been running continuously for six years since 2019. The program has brought pho to many children, disadvantaged people, people in remote areas, and localities severely affected by natural disasters. On January 7th and 8th at the Hoa Thinh Commune Cultural Center, Dak Lak, "Pho of Love 2025" will distribute over 5,000 bowls of pho, thousands of gifts, and 320 million VND to students and residents of Hoa Thinh following the historic floods at the end of November 2025.

The program was organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dak Lak province and Hoa Thinh commune. These bowls of pho were cooked by top Vietnamese pho chefs such as Pho Ta (Binh Tay Food), Pho Thin Bo Ho, Pho Phu Gia, Pho Nha, Pho Phat Tai…

The people enjoyed a cultural program featuring performances by artists from Ho Chi Minh City and the Sao Bien Folk Music and Dance Theatre. Notably, the program also included the participation of artist Truong Giang as the ambassador of "Pho of Love." Truong Giang personally contributed 200 million VND in cash and 500 cartons of milk to the children in Hoa Thinh commune.

Thank you to all the generous hearts who have been and are continuing to spread the warmth of Vietnamese pho and the spirit of Vietnamese people alongside Tuoi Tre newspaper: Ho Chi Minh City Development Commercial Bank (HDBank), Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company, Binh Tay Food Joint Stock Company, Kafi Securities Joint Stock Company, LC Foods Joint Stock Company, and Phat Tai Pho.

Hoa Thinh - Photo 4.