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When we organize elections, our vision has always been to make sure that they are clean, honest and meaningful. They are the benchmark of a democratic system. But given our situation today, we need to add one more: safe elections. Can we successfully hold meaningful and safe elections in the middle of a pandemic? This is a critical question we need to address even as we battle against the coronavirus that has upended our lives.

The pledge of G-7 leaders to provide at least 1 billion vaccine doses to 92 poor and lower-middle-income countries and last week’s emerging positive domestic trade figures are a big confidence booster.

The coronavirus seems to be creeping outside the National Capital Region (NCR). The Department of Health has expressed alarm over the increase in COVID-19 infections in provinces specifically in Mindanao. It noted that 25% of fresh cases in the past few weeks have come from Mindanao outpacing NCR which used to get the brunt of infections during the recent surge.