PALACE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH BIDEN

MANILA — Malacañang led yesterday a wave of congratulatory messages from

various sectors in the Philippines for Democratic candidate Joe Biden’s

election victory in the United States, and vowed to further strengthen

Manila’s ties with Washington.

“On behalf of the Filipino nation, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wishes to

extend his warm congratulations to former vice president Joseph ‘Joe’ Biden

on his election as the new president of the United States of America,”

presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a statement.

He added: “The Philippines and the United States have longstanding bilateral

relations and we are committed to further enhancing the relations with the

United States under the Biden administration.”

Roque also said he sees no problem in the relations between Duterte and

Biden, who was former US president Barack Obama’s vice president. Roque said

the two leaders should just be given some time to click.

He said the Duterte administration is looking forward to working with

Biden’s administration in a relationship “anchored on mutual respect, mutual

benefit, and shared commitment to democracy, freedom and the rule of law.”

“We’ll wait and see,” Lorenzana told reporters when pushed to comment on

what’s in store for the Philippines under a new US administration.

He said that whoever sits in the White House, “the US foreign policy has

been consistent for the past 50 years,” varying only in detail and emphasis.

He said the Philippines will have to wait and see how the Biden

administration will handle certain matters that affect the Philippines like

the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue.

Vice President Leni Robredo extended her congratulations to Biden and Vice

President-elect Kamala Harris.

“Your victory is an affirmation of the shared ideals on which the long

friendship between our two nations stand: democracy, civil rights, faith and

inclusivity. I pray for your success,” Robredo said in a post on Twitter,

tagging the two newly elected officials.

PH WANTS TO ENSURE US RELATIONS 'STRONG' AFTER BIDEN VICTORY: ENVOY

MANILA - The Philippines wants to make sure its bilateral relations with the

US is strong following the election of Democrat Joe Biden as president,

Manila's envoy in Washington said Monday.

Majority or 60 percent of some 2 million Filipino-Americans voters chose

Obama's former vice president Biden in the White House race, according to

Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez.

Most were probably from California, one of the biggest Filipino communities

and a Democrat bailiwick, he said. Some Filipinos in the northeast and south

of US voted for former President Donald Trump, he added.

Romualdez had warned about "a number of people who will try to take

advantage of the situation and will try to put a wedge" between Biden and

President Rodrigo Duterte.

"You know this is not a personal type of situation. It is the overall that

is important. I think that those who are trying to intrigue they have their

own agenda. It is not good for the Philippines to have major issues and

problems that could affect us," he told ANC's Headstart.

"We wanna make sure that relationship (with the US) is strong and all of the

recognitions we have is there in place."

'ALL TYRANTS WILL FALL': TRUMP'S DEFEAT IS WARNING TO DUTERTE, AKBAYAN SAYS

MANILA — 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 emeritus 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."

Across the world, the two leaders of nations that had since been longtime

allies are often aligned with China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin

for their strongman-like leadership and rhetoric.

PHILIPPINES TO BACK CHINA’S CANDIDATE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

MANILA — The Philippines‘ foreign minister ordered the country’s mission to

the United Nations on Sunday to vote for China’s candidate to fill one of

the five seats at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that will become

vacant next year.

“You are instructed to cast the Philippine vote for the Chinese candidate to

the international court of justice. That is your only clear instruction,”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on Twitter without

elaborating.

Four of the eight candidates contesting the five positions are incumbent

judges whose nine-year terms are due to expire on Feb. 5 next year. One of

the four is Chinese Judge Xue Hanqin, who is also the vice president of the

ICJ, also known as the World Court.

The ICJ, the highest United Nations court for inter-state disputes, is

composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms of office by the United

Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. Judges are eligible for

re-election.

A United Nations document dated June 29, 2020 showed the Philippines

nominated another candidate Japanese Judge Yuji Iwasawa but not Xue.

The foreign ministry said the Philippines can support more than one

candidate at the Nov. 11 election as there will be five vacancies.

CLAIMING BIAS, MARCOS WANTS LEONEN OUT OF POLL PROCEEDINGS VS ROBREDO

MANILA — Citing an alleged bias for Vice President Leni Robredo, former Sen.

Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday sought the inhibition of Associate

Justice Marvic Leonen from his pending poll protest.

Marcos personally went to the Supreme Court, which sits as the Presidential

Electoral Tribunal, to file his motion seeking Leonen’s inhibition “on the

ground of evident bias and manifest partiality in favor” of Robredo.

He also urged the tribunal to immediately re-raffle his petition and resolve

the pending incidents in his poll protest.

Leonen is reportedly the member-in-charge of the petition.

Marcos, in his motion, said that Leonen "displayed palpable bias and

partiality against the entire Marcos family" in his dissenting opinion on

the burial of the family patriarch and late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at

the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

He claimed that Leonen “candidly expressed how much he loathed” his father,

whom the justice called as “no hero... not even an exemplary public

officer.” Leonen had also noted that Marcoses had not given “sufficient

public apology, full acknowledgement of facts, or any clear acceptance of

responsibility” on the human rights violations committed during martial law.

The former senator also cited the two-part article on the Manila Times

reporting on a supposed “25-page Reflections” draft of Leonen that was

circulated to his colleagues at the PET in July 2017.

In the article, Leonen supposedly said the protest should be dismissed

outright, and Marcos said this shows that the justice prejudged the case.

Leonen’s act to seek comment from the Office of the Solicitor General and

the Commission on Elections on whether the PET can declare annulment of

elections without conducting special elections—an issue raised in Marcos’

third cause of action—puts the case in peril, his legal team added.

“If [Leonen] was unsure about the PET’s jurisdiction, then he should have

made inquiries a year ago, when the case was first raffled to him in October

2019,” the motion further read.

In the press conference, Marcos said that with Leonen as member-in-charge of

the case, their poll protest would not be resolved on time.

ROBREDO: STURDIER, MULTI-STORY EVACUATION CENTERS NEEDED

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday renewed her call for the

establishment of “more sturdy” and multi-story evacuation centers and other

structures that could mitigate the impact of strong typhoons in the country.

Robredo made the call in light of the massive devastation brought by

successive cyclones that hit the country, including Super Typhoon Rolly, in

the past weeks.

“We should invest in infrastructure that could mitigate the effect of

disasters,” she said in her weekly program over radio station dzXL.

CYBERBULLYING ON THE RISE, UNESCO WARNS

MANILA — Cyberbullying is on the rise, the United Nations education agency

warned, attributing this to the COVID-19 pandemic as more students are

“living, learning and socializing online.”

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO), bullying affects one in every three students at least

once a month, and one in 10 is a victim of cyberbullying.

This had led to an “unprecedented increase in screen time and the merging of

online and offline worlds,” heightening youngsters’ vulnerability to

bullying and cyberbullying, UNESCO said.

While bullying is most often carried out by children’s peers, UNESCO said in

some cases teachers and other school staff are believed to be responsible.

The agency noted that corporal punishment is still permitted in schools in

67 countries.

Physical bullying is the most frequent type of bullying in many regions –

with the exception of North America and Europe, where psychological bullying

is most common.

Sexual bullying – including hostile sexual jokes, comments or gestures – is

the second most common form of harassment at school in many regions.

Although school violence and bullying affect male and female students,

physical bullying is more common among boys.

Psychological abuse is more common among girls, UNESCO said, after

identifying “isolating, rejecting, ignoring, insults, spreading rumors,

making up lies, name-calling, ridicule, humiliation and threats” as typical

treatment.

The consequences of bullying can have devastating consequences on academic

achievement, school dropout, and physical and mental health, the agency

said.

LAWMAKERS SEEK BETTER PAY, BENEFITS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL WORKERS

MANILA — Key administration members of the House of Representatives are

pushing for the passage of measures that will not only help protect the

country’s resources, but also uplift the lives of personnel who ensure

environmental sustainability.

Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero filed House Bill 1334 aimed at creating a magna

carta for environment and natural resources personnel, while Rep. Lito

Atienza of Buhay party-list filed HB 2597 that seeks to triple the base pay

of forest rangers.

The two administration lawmakers made their statements in relation to the

country’s observation of Environmental Awareness Month.

Romero said the government must help uplift the lives and personnel from the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and include as well

agencies in the management and development of environmental related projects

and programs.

THE REST

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PH VIRUS TALLY BREACHES 396,000 WITH OVER 2,400 NEW CASES

MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 2,442 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday

bringing the country’s total to 396,395.

The Department of Health also reported 11,430 new recoveries as the DOH

implemented its weekly “mass recovery” pushing the total number of Filipinos

who recovered from the disease to 361,638.

This meant that the country has a total of 27,218 active cases as of 4 p.m.

Sunday.

Fifty four more deaths were reported from the illness, bringing COVID-19’s

death toll in the Philippines to 7,539.

DOH URGES PUBLIC TO AVOID CAROLING DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

MANILA - The health department on Monday warned the public against caroling

as loud singing increases the risk of coronavirus transmission.

The agency earlier released guidelines on holiday celebrations and urged

limited face-to-face activities.

It has yet to decide whether to permit caroling, said Health Undersecretary

Maria Rosario Vergeire.

"May lumabas po na isang study over this past week nakalagay po doon na 'yun

pong pagkanta nang malalakas, it is the topmost activity that can yield mas

madaming virus," she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

"That being said, wag na muna sana ang ganitong (let's avoid this kind of)

activities so that we can prevent further increasing the transmission of

infection."

She also urged the public to practice minimum health standards such as

wearing of face masks and face shield and frequent handwashing even when

around relatives.

MANILA RECOGNIZES COVID-FREE BARANGAYS

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso greets barangay leaders as the city

government awards 73 barangays with no new COVID-19 cases for two months,

from September 1 to October 31, with P100,000.00 incentive during a ceremony

on Monday.

The incentive-based approach based on the city's health department data aims

to contain and delay the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

BONG GO OPENS MALASAKIT CENTER IN CALOOCAN

MANILA — Sen. Bong Go led the launching of the country’s 90th Malasakit

Center at Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium in Caloocan

City on Friday as he vowed continued support for medical frontliners.

It is the 17th Malasakit Center in Metro Manila and 46th in Luzon.

“This center is open to all Filipinos, especially the poor. Walang pinipili

ito, walang pulitika. The center is ready to provide their medical and

financial needs,” Go, who chairs the Senate committee on health and

demography, said.

He provided cash assistance to 44 COVID-19 patients confined in the

hospital.

Go also gave bicycles to selected hospital employees as public

transportation remains limited.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that hosts government agencies

providing financial and medical assistance to indigent patients.

These are the Departments of Health and Social Welfare and Development,

Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

MMDA: NUMBER CODING STILL SUSPENDED

MANILA — The number coding scheme remains suspended as Metro Manila is still

under general community quarantine, the Metropolitan Manila Development

Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.

The traffic reduction scheme will not be enforced yet, MMDA spokesperson

Celine Pialago said.

“It will not be back yet. Let us wait for the advice from MMDA chairman

Danilo Lim,” Pialago said in an interview on dzBB.

TONYO EXITS, ULYSSES THREATENS BICOL

MANILA - Tropical storm Tonyo left the Philippine area of responsibility

early Monday even as another weather disturbance, Tropical Depression

Ulysses, threatened to pummel the Bicol region, the state weather bureau

said.

Tonyo, the country's 20th storm this year, was last estimated 710 kilometers

west of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro (outside PAR) as of 4 a.m., moving

west at 30 km per hour while packing maximum winds of 65 kph near the center

and gusts of up to 80 kph, PAGASA said.

It is forecast to movie west over the West Philippine Sea towards the

southern portion of Vietnam, where it is likely to hit land on Tuesday,

PAGASA added.

Ulysses was last spotted 800 km east of Surigao City, moving northwest at 15

kph while packing maximum winds of 45 kph near the center with gusts of up

to 55 kph, according to PAGASA weather forecaster Ana Clauren.

It may intensify into a typhoon as it approaches Bicol region, which was

recently hit by Typhoons Quinta and Rolly.

"Possible itong tumama o dumaan sa Bicol region by Wednesday ng umaga kung

hindi po magbabago ang kaniyang track," Clauren told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

On Monday, Tonyo is forecast to bring moderate to heavy rains over Kalayaan

Islands. The easterlies it and Tropical depression Ulysses enhance will

bring moderate to heavy rains over Babuyan Islands, mainland Cagayan Valley,

Cordilleras, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, and the northern portion of Quezon

including Polillo Islands.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Metro

Manila, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, and the rest of Ilocos Region,

Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.

PAGASA warned of flooding and rain-induced landslides which may occur during

heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly susceptible

to these hazards and/or those that received significant antecedent rainfall.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

'WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET MARRIED TODAY': ANGEL LOCSIN MARKS ORIGINAL WEDDING

DATE WITH NEIL ARCE

MANILA -- Now it can be told: Actress Angel Locsin and her fiance Neil Arce

planned to get married on November 8, 2020 but were forced to postpone it

because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Locsin made the revelation in a social media post on Sunday night.

"So, we were supposed to get married today, Nov. 8, 2020. How about you

guys? Did you have plans this year that got moved?" Locsin wrote in the

caption.

Locsin added: "Can’t wait a few more months."

Locsin and Arce are among the many couples whose wedding plans have been

affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"It's going to be moved to early next year," Arce said in a previous

interview with Metro.Style. "But, of course, it depends on the situation

with the pandemic."

The film producer said they have considered going for an intimate wedding as

pandemic-induced quarantines continue. But in the end, they chose to wait

for things to get better so they can have a bigger celebration.

"We were thinking, 'Should we do it small?' But that's not us eh. We're

friends, we have a group of friends. We want everyone to be there. We want

everyone to have fun," Arce said of their wedding.

But with the pandemic affecting their plans, Locsin said they have to do

everything all over again.

"Kailangan naming ulitin 'yung planning. Tapos na dapat siya eh," she said.

"Better na safe ang lahat at confident na walang sakit, so I think best

decision namin na i-move na lang 'yung wedding."

Locsin and Arce said the challenges brought about by the pandemic have made

them stronger not only as individuals, but also as a couple.

The two have been busy with charity work and other relief efforts, managing

to "find ways to fix things" despite their differences.

It was in June 2019 when Locsin revealed that she is engaged to Arce after

dating for more than a year and being friends for nearly a decade.

SPORTS

PBA SCORES NOV 8

SUN, NOV 8, 2020    Q1    Q2    Q3    Q4    T

Barangay Ginebra    22    14    20    10    66

San Miguel Beermen    27    26    11    17    81

Magnolia Hotshots    24    18    28    13    83

Batang Pier    15    21    20    20    76

Meralco Bolts    29    22    25    19    95

Terrafirma Dyip    17    19    30    27    93

Blackwater Elite    20    14    11    26    71

Rain or Shine    16    22    25    19    82

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined. -

Nora Taboada