At a press briefing held on April 16, jointly organized by the municipal Party Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Mass Mobilization and the Department of Culture and Sports, officials provided updates on socio-economic issues, with a strong focus on holiday preparedness. The briefing was co-chaired by Mr. Tang Huu Phong, Deputy Head of the commission, and Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoi, Deputy Director of the department.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Binh, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Division (PC08) under the HCMC Police, said the unit has advised the municipal police leadership on a comprehensive traffic safety plan. Round-the-clock patrols and strict enforcement measures will be deployed across both roadways and waterways, targeting violations that are the leading causes of traffic accidents.
Key enforcement priorities include drunk driving, speeding, and violations by commercial transport operators, including passenger buses, freight vehicles, and three- to four-wheeled rudimentary vehicles. The campaign aims to significantly reduce accidents across all three metrics: number of cases, fatalities, and injuries.
In parallel, authorities will intensify efforts to prevent gatherings of youths who engage in reckless driving or disturb public order. Patrol operations will also be leveraged to detect and crack down on street crime.
Coordination with neighboring provinces such as Dong Nai and Tay Ninh, as well as local police units at the ward and commune levels, will be strengthened to optimize traffic routing, guidance, and regulation. These measures are intended to ensure safe, seamless travel and minimize congestion, to prevent major traffic jams during the holiday period.
Beyond traffic management, PC08 has also advised on plans to guarantee absolute security at key targets, critical infrastructure, and government offices. Authorities will closely monitor developments and maintain tight control over high-risk areas and transport corridors to prevent the emergence of traffic or security “hotspots.”
Public communication campaigns will be ramped up to raise awareness of traffic violations, vehicle blind spots, and commonly congested routes and timeframes, enabling residents to make informed travel choices.
Meanwhile, HCMC's Department of Construction reported that passenger traffic at key transport hubs is expected to rise sharply. At the city’s airport, daily passenger volume is projected at around 133,200, up 9 percent year-on-year, with approximately 806 flights per day, a 7-percent increase.
Other transport modes will also see heightened demand. Metro Line No.1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien) is expected to increase service frequency and extend operating hours. Passenger volume is projected to reach 94,802 per day during the Hung Kings holiday, up 10 percent year-on-year, and 87,445 per day during the April 30–May 1 holiday, also a 10-percent rise.
Interprovincial bus terminals are forecast to handle an average of 89,988 passengers per day during the peak holiday, a 6-percent increase, while railway stations are expected to serve around 6,742 passengers daily, down 7 percent compared to the same period last year.
On fire safety, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tung, Deputy Head of the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Division (PC07), addressed a serious fire incident in Tan Thoi Hiep Ward on April 12 that left two people dead and five injured. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause in coordination with relevant agencies.
He also highlighted regulations requiring certain establishments to install automatic fire alarm transmission systems connected to the central command center before July 1, 2027. Under directives from the Ministry of Public Security, HCMC is among six centrally governed cities striving to complete implementation ahead of schedule, by October 15, 2026.
To date, police have conducted outreach to more than 190,000 establishments. About 17,972 facilities—nearly 10 percent—have committed to compliance, including 6,207 that have signed contracts. Of these, 4,338 sites have completed installation, with a total of 4,773 devices deployed, representing roughly 70 percent of contracted facilities.
Separately, the Department of Home Affairs reported on labor market trends in the first quarter of 2026. Data from the HCMC Employment Service Center showed that 32,988 individuals were receiving unemployment benefits between January 1 and March 31, including 18,109 aged 30 to 45.
The center recorded more than 52,600 job seekers, while businesses posted demand for 82,700 positions, highlighting a mismatch across age groups, qualifications, and sectors. Employers tend to favor workers under 40, citing greater adaptability to new technologies and processes.
To address the imbalance, the center has expanded both in-person and online job fairs, facilitating faster connections between employers and suitable candidates, while proactively engaging with firms to better understand recruitment needs and improve labor market matching.
