HEADS UP: Pandemic Christmas is Taking Shape (Dec. 2)

Good morning. Here's a heads up from reportr on news that you need to know today, Dec. 2:

• Parents are awaiting guidelines on a new policy that will allow minors outside their homes this month. For the first time since March, children could be allowed inside shopping malls.
• Robinsons Malls is hosting government application sites for the National ID. 
• Guidelines for private shuttles that are increasing capacity have been released.
• The MRT is increasing speed in the coming days after maintenance works during the long weekend.
• No surprise here, Merriam-Webster declared "pandemic" as 2020's Word of the Year.
• Meet Grab rider Joy Calimlim Habana, who went viral for defying the pandemic and a leg amputation to hustle between two jobs to provide for his family.
• Spotify has a new "stories" feature, the latest app to offer users the ability to post disappearing updates.

Here's an update on COVID-19 cases as of 4 p.m. of Dec. 1: