United States presidential election

FILE PHOTO: United States map for 2020 Presidential Election Results with Joe Biden (205)
BLUE and Donald Trump (136) RED. (Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images)
The US presidential race has piqued the interest of Filipinos.
Democrat Joe Biden secured enough electors to beat
incumbent Republican Donald Trump. However, Trump refuses
to concede, accusing the Democratic Party of election fraud.
The media have already declared Biden the winner, but protests
in support of Trump continue to erupt across the United States.
Trump remains hesitant to relinquish power, but with Biden
already building his own Cabinet, time is running out for the
incumbent president to overturn the election results.
Rodrigo Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte signs into law the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) in
Malacañang on September 11, 2020. (PHOTO: TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
The strongman president of the Philippines has gained quite a
reputation for himself. Whether it’s his controversial quips, his
unexplained absences or his questionable policies, he always
manages to keep himself in the headlines.
There is no doubt that his governance is polarizing. While he
has his fair share of critics, his devil-may-care style of
leadership also appeals to a certain demographic. His
administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to
recent typhoons have put him under criticism anew, but his
supporters were quick to defend him, pointing out that these
unprecedented events are beyond the president’s control.
Bayanihan to Heal as One Act
FILE PHOTO: A woman walks past a mural depicting a man whose mouth and nose are covered
with a mask and a hand in Quezon City, Philippines on July 17, 2020. (Photo by Lisa Marie
David/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The Philippines has one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in
Southeast Asia with more than 443,000 cases and 8,670
deaths, as of this writing. However, millions more are affected
by the pandemic. As the number of infections surge, the
economy continue to plummet. The enhanced community
quarantine forced the closure of businesses, as well as the
suspension of public transport. The shutdown of factories
slowed down production, while quarantine measures disrupted
supply chains and trade linkages. Consumer spending has also
been affected by social distancing protocols.
The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act aims to curb the spread of
the virus, while at the same time restimulating the economy
through subsidies. One of its most controversial provisions,
however, grants “emergency powers” to the president. Critics
raised that this “power” can be easily abused by the
administration.