HEADS UP: If Stars Win Elections, Why is a Security Guard Running for Senator? (Oct. 7)

Here’s a Heads Up from reporter on news that you need to know today, Oct. 7:

POLITICS EXPLAINED

• Here’s why the celebrity nature of elections in the Philippines is next to incurable.
• And why common folk like a security guard are challenging that by filing his candidacy for senator.
• Why do election campaign jingles get stuck in your head? There will be a lot of them soon.

2022 ELECTIONS

• Former Sen. Bongbong Marcos filed his certificate of candidacy for president and victims of martial law likened it to spitting at the graves of those who died during his father’s iron-fisted rule.
• Journalists covering Comelec got an emergency alert on their phones, not for a natural calamity, but for Marcos' candidacy in 2022. Authorities are investigating how it happened.
• Anti-trapo wisdom from reelectionist Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto: Be kuripot rather than live a lavish lifestyle on taxpayer’s money.
• The tandem of Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Tito Sotto for president and vice president also filed their candidacies.
• Former MMDA spokesperson and anti-communist campaigner Celine Pialago is running for Congress under her own Malasakit Movement partylist.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Those living south of Metro Manila can now do their passport errands at a DFA office in Robinsons Galleria South in San Pedro, Laguna.

PIXEL WORLD

• Telegram said it welcomed 70 million “refugees” from Facebook while the world’s largest social media network was beset with an unprecedented outage.

NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Duterte government’s approval ratings in the handling of key issues like COVID-19, consumer prices and corruption slipped in September, according to Pulse Asia.
• Limited face-to-face classes will start on Nov. 15, after which DepEd will decide on a possible expansion.
• Tropical depression Maring could develop from a low pressure area spotted east of the Visayas. PAGASA said up to three storms are expected in October.
• Are we out of the woods? Not yet, according to the World Health Organization as the COVID situation is dynamic.
• From navigation to shopping, Google is offering users environment-friendly options across its suite of apps.