News Roundup 08 November 2020
Nov 08, 2020 • 4 min Read
Joe Biden vows to unite America after ‘convincing’ victory | INQUIRER.NET – WILMINGTON, Delaware – President-elect Joe Biden promised Saturday to unite Americans and seek to heal divisions after what he called a “convincing” victory over Donald Trump. “This is the time to heal in America,” an ebullient Biden told supporters at an outdoor rally in his home city of Wilmington, Delaware. “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide but unify,” Biden said, drawing a sharp contrast to nearly four polarizing years of Trump. Acknowledging the disappointment of Trump supporters, Biden said of them: “They are not our enemies. They are Americans.” “Let this era of demonization in America begin to end here,” Biden said. “I sought this office to restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, the middle class, and to make America respected around the world again,” Biden said.
2,442 new cases bring total COVID-19 count to 396,395 | INQUIRER.NET – The country has recorded 2,442 additional coronavirus disease cases, bringing the total number of cases to 396,395, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Sunday. Meanwhile, there were also 11,430 additional recoveries and 54 newly-reported deaths. Composing the total count of COVID-19 cases in the country are 27,218 active cases (6.9 percent), 361,638 recoveries (91.2 percent), and 7,539 deaths (1.90 percent), according to the DOH.
Festive Filipinos trying to save Christmas from coronavirus | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines boasts one of the world’s longest Christmas seasons, kicking off in September with fairy lights and artificial trees decorating malls, festive tunes on the radio and party-packed calendars. But the coronavirus pandemic looks set to be the grinch that spoils the four-month-long celebration this year. Gatherings are banned, night-time curfews are in force, church attendance is limited, and many are broke after measures to contain the virus devastated the economy and left millions jobless. Philippine crooner Jose Mari Chan, whose song “Christmas In Our Hearts” heralds the start of the festivities when it hits the airwaves on September 1, summed it up: “Sadness surrounds us.” Family get-togethers, karaoke parties and lavish spending on gifts, which usually mark the countdown to Christmas, have been upended. But despite the bleak conditions, fiesta-loving Filipinos say they are determined to stop the virus from stealing all their Christmas cheer. “With or without Covid we have to celebrate Christmas whatever it takes, this is a Filipino tradition,” said Cecilia Moore, wearing a mandatory mask as she paid 2,500 pesos ($52) for festive lights to decorate her home. Her husband temporarily lost his job on an oil tanker when the country went into lockdown in March, hurting the family’s finances. But Moore said she needed something colourful to dispel the gloom hanging over her family. “Even though times are hard, we still buy lanterns to make us happy,” the 32-year-old said.
VP Leni congratulates US President-elect Biden, VP-elect Harris | Manila Bulletin – Vice President Leni Robredo sent her warmest congratulations to United States of America (USA) President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Sunday morning. In a tweet, the country’s second highest official described Biden and Harris’ election victory as “an affirmation of the shared ideals” on which the Philippines and the USA stand. Robredo highlighted the importance of democracy, civil rights, faith, and inclusivity in governing one’s country. “I pray for your success,” she said.
‘All tyrants will fall’: Trump’s defeat is warning to Duterte, Akbayan says | PHILSTAR.COM – The results of the elections in the U.S. leading to Donald Trump’s defeat should remind President Rodrigo Duterte that leaders with authoritarian tendencies will all have their time to be out from power, the country’s former human rights chief said Sunday. Democrat Joe Biden over the weekend secured more than 270 of the required electoral votes to become the 46th president of the United States, ending what has been described as a tumultuous presidency for Trump and denying him a second term. Akbayan chairperson Etta Rosales in a statement said such outcome should prompt Duterte to look closely on what endings he too could meet. “[We call] on Mr. Rodrigo Duterte to take a good hard look at the result of the US presidential election,” she said. “Trump’s defeat serves both as a warning and reminder to Duterte and his minions that all tyrants, regardless of their popularity and power, will fall.”
