United to overcome the storm and flood.

The severe floods have left behind heartbreaking figures: 98 people dead, 10 still missing, hundreds of thousands of homes submerged, many infrastructure and transportation routes severely damaged, estimated losses exceeding 14.3 trillion VND, placing the Central and Central Highlands regions before countless difficulties.

A team of medical staff from Dong Nai province provided free medical examinations and medication to residents of Son Thanh commune, Dak Lak province. Photo: Cong Nghia

But in times of hardship, human kindness shines through. Helping hands and compassionate hearts have become a pillar of support, igniting hope for people to overcome challenges together.

Reporters from Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio & Television had an interview with Comrade Ha Anh Dung, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province, on this issue.

Comrade Ha Anh Dung, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province. Photo: Le Quyen

* Comrade, from the perspective of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, what are the biggest difficulties that people in Central and Central Highlands regions are facing after this natural disaster, especially regarding livelihoods and rebuilding their lives?

First and foremost, I sincerely extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in this tragedy and express my sympathy and solidarity with the extremely difficult circumstances our compatriots in the areas affected by successive natural disasters and floods are enduring, suffering immense losses both materially and spiritually. Certainly, the impact of this disaster will require a great deal of time and resources to help the Central and Central Highlands provinces overcome the consequences and rebuild the lives of the people.

As can be seen, these impacts on people's lives are enormous:

Firstly, people's livelihoods have been severely affected. Prolonged heavy rains and floods have swept away property, livestock, poultry, and aquatic products; crops and fields have been submerged, creating a risk of landslides and rockfalls burying fields and gardens; many small-scale production facilities have been paralyzed; and many households have lost almost everything, lacking tools, means of livelihood, or sources of income to start over.

Secondly, rebuilding lives faces countless challenges. Hundreds of thousands of homes were deeply flooded and severely damaged; many essential infrastructure projects such as roads, schools, and electricity and water systems in some areas have not yet been restored; environmental sanitation, disease prevention, living conditions, and healthcare, especially for the elderly and children, remain severely lacking; and teaching and learning have been significantly affected…

Thirdly, after the shock of the natural disaster, people's morale was also greatly affected. In many places, people are worried because their crops have been completely lost, debts are piling up, and they cannot yet foresee their livelihoods in the coming period.

* In his recent letter of condolence to those affected by natural disasters, General Secretary To Lam affirmed: "In times of hardship, we see even more clearly the strength of solidarity and the Vietnamese people's compassion." According to you, how was this spirit demonstrated during the recent floods?

- As we can see, the more difficult the times, the more strongly the Vietnamese people demonstrate the power of human compassion, the tradition of great solidarity, the spirit of mutual support and love, the "helping those in need" spirit of the entire nation; the inherent kindness and loyalty shine brighter than ever and create a foundation for everyone to overcome hardship together.

Before and immediately after the natural disaster occurred, the entire political system, from the central to local levels, acted very quickly and proactively with timely guidance, campaigns, and appeals; the police, army, border guards, militia, and even people in the surrounding areas rushed into rescue efforts with genuine "humanity in times of crisis"... regardless of danger, working day and night in the rain and floods to rescue, evacuate, and assist people to safety.

Alongside this, thousands of organizations, businesses, and individuals from all over the country promptly reached out to the Central and Central Highlands regions by contributing funds, transporting goods and essential supplies, assisting with house repairs, and caring for families severely affected. This strength helped the people in the flood-stricken areas overcome an extremely difficult period and instilled confidence that we will all rise together, recover, and develop after the natural disaster.

* It's clear that the motto "Leaving no one behind" has been very effectively implemented during this natural disaster. Based on your observations and visits to the flood-affected areas, what are your impressions of this?

- When visiting flood-affected areas to offer support to the people, the working teams of Dong Nai province clearly felt the motto "Leaving no one behind." This is no longer just an empty slogan but is being implemented through very concrete actions.

From rescue workers wading through water for hours to bring each resident to safety; to task forces carrying food, medicine, clothing, and essential supplies; to the collective efforts of the community from all over; and the efforts of the people themselves in the disaster-stricken areas… all are aimed at ensuring that every citizen receives support, that no one goes hungry or without clothing, and that no one is isolated amidst the floods.

* Comrade, how has the campaign to mobilize support for the Central and Central Highlands regions been implemented in Dong Nai province?

Immediately after the natural disaster occurred, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province issued a call for help and received a very strong response from agencies, units, businesses, and people in the province. The Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province received contributions from all sectors of the population and the business community totaling over 20 billion VND; the Provincial Red Cross Society received over 100 tons of goods. But what moved me most was the "compassion" of the people of Dong Nai, stemming from the dictates of their hearts, further illuminating "national solidarity and brotherly love." In just a short time (from November 20th to November 26th, 2020), from border communes to central localities, from retired elderly people to elementary school students... everyone acted by contributing their time and resources... There were 94 charitable groups, with more than 1,100 volunteers; 218 truck trips transported nearly 1,200 tons of goods, necessities, essential supplies, clean water, common medicines, etc., worth nearly 30 billion VND, to support the affected localities.

* Recently, there have been distorted reports about social welfare policies, even deliberately attacking the efforts of our Party and State in supporting people in flood-affected areas. In your opinion, what should we do in response to such information?

- Recently, alongside positive information reflecting the true developments of the storm and flood situation, there has also been some distorted information, even deliberately attacking the efforts of the Party and State in supporting people in flood-affected areas, and dividing national unity. In particular, exploiting digital technology and AI applications, many staged images have been used to cause public panic.

All contributions – from cash to goods – are received publicly, fully documented, continuously updated, detailed daily, and widely publicized through mass media and social media platforms such as Zalo and Fanpages, so that organizations and individuals can track them. Resource allocation is carried out in accordance with regulations, based on actual damage reports from localities, the leadership of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the Provincial Party Committee's Executive Board, and in agreement with neighboring provinces before the Dong Nai delegations directly deliver the funds.

Furthermore, the monitoring process involves the participation of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels, member organizations, and representatives of the local community, ensuring that support reaches the right people, in the right places, without omissions or duplication. We are committed to ensuring that each piece of support reaches the intended recipients and is most effective for the people in the flood-affected areas.

Comrade Ha Anh Dung, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province.

We need to be vigilant and discerning in the face of this information, carefully reading and examining images, and relying on information from official channels. Only by basing our assessments on facts and official information can we accurately evaluate the efforts of agencies, forces, and the community in relief work. This will strengthen our confidence, and the spirit of national solidarity is the most important weapon and strength to overcome all challenges, creating the belief to help our compatriots overcome difficulties.

Disseminating accurate and transparent information also helps to mobilize all resources effectively, reaching the right people and localities, avoiding waste and duplication, and contributing to increased consensus among the people.

Thank you very much, comrade!

Le Quyen (performed)

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/chinh-polit/202511/doan-ket-vuot-qua-bao-lu-20d3b82/