(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden, saying the Philippines is “looking forward to working closely with the new administration.”
“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,” said a statement sent to reporters by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
“The Philippines and the United States have long-standing bilateral relations and we are committed to further enhancing the relations with the United States under the Biden administration,” he said.
Duterte, in his congratulatory message, said that he hoped that the Philippine relations with the new US administration would continue to be “anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and shared commitment to democracy, freedom and the rule of law.”
“We look forward to working closely with the new administration of President-elect Biden anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and shared commitment to democracy, freedom and the rule of law,” he said.
“Congratulations and we wish him all the best.”
-Biden gets more than 270 electoral votes-
US former Vice-President and now President-elect Biden on Saturday won the presidency, wresting the White House from Donald Trump with a victory in Pennsylvania that put him past the magic number of 270 electoral votes.
CNN, Fox News, NBC and other networks called the race in Biden’s favor after projecting he had won in Pennsylvania, the biggest prize that was left on the map with 20 electoral votes.
Before Saturday, Biden had at least 253 electoral votes, meaning the win in the Keystone State put him at 273. He later claimed victory in Nevada, boosting his total to 279.
Some US media outlets have also declared him the winner in Arizona, which would put him at 290.
Biden has captured 24 states including his home state Delaware and big prizes California and New York, as well as the US capital.
The former vice president has flipped four states won by Trump in 2016 — Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and, according to two news organizations, Arizona.
(Eagle News Service with a report from Agence France Presse)