Philippine relations with the United States  are not expected  to undergo  any major change with the election  of a new US president.  We remain a close ally of the US, although we have also  developed  new ties with China.   President Duterte has been able to maintain close relations with both  US  President Trump and China President Xi Jinping.  He will  be able to  maintain the same close ties with  President Biden. Many  nations, including the Philippines, are more concerned with the depths to which the world economy has sunk because of the pandemic. The Democratic Party victory in the election should improve US relations with China and that  should  boost world trade and the international economy. Philippine economists noted last week  that the Philippine peso  closed at its strongest level in the last four years, propped by  generally positive sentiment in the global stock markets,  boosted, they believe, by the  impending Biden victory. More relaxed US immigration policies are  expected to benefit Overseas Filipino Workers with  an expected increase in outsourcing by American companies. This should boost  foreign exchange inflows and help the country rise from the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The incoming Biden administration is  expected to result  in a more receptive American  environment for Filipino migrant workers.   Since  January, 2019, the US Homeland Security of the Trump administration has banned Filipinos and citizens of certain other nations from receiving  H-2A  and H-2B visas for migrant workers needed  for temporary work in  agriculture, construction, hotels, and resorts.  “We are hoping that under the Biden administration, the Philippines will be returned to the list of countries whose nationals are  eligible for the special  migrant work visas,” Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur said. For this and many other reasons, we welcome the new US administration.  “On behalf of the Filipino nation, President Duterte wishes to extend its warm congratulations to former Vice President Joseph “Joe” Biden on his  election as the new president of the United States of America,” presidential spokesman Harry  Roque said Sunday. The leaders of other nations all over  the world have also sent their congratulations, with many expressing hopes of unity and  cooperation after  four years of difficulties with the Trump  administration. A new  era of hope  seems to be dawning all over the world with the election of the new US president.