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Hello Rappler readers,
President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the provision under the 2017 General Appropriations Act (GAA) that allows government agencies to directly spend their income. The President said government spending for the next year will be kept “within the boundaries of the law.”
Filipinos’ net satisfaction rating for the performance of Vice President Leni Robredo dropped by 12 points in the fourth quarter of 2016, the period that covers her resignation from the Duterte Cabinet.
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President Rodrigo Duterte prohibited government agencies from directly using their income under the P3.35-trillion budget for 2017, which the President has already signed into law.
In his budget action message, Duterte said all income from the agencies constitute an “integral and intrinsic” part of the national government’s sources of revenue. He explained agencies directly using their income would reduce the GAA’s financing sources and would “unjustifiably increase” appropriations for government agencies.
Vice President Leni Robredo saw a 12-point drop in Filipinos’ net satisfaction on her performance as a public official. The latest Social Weather Stations survey showed Robredo’s rating decrease to +37 in December from +49 in September.
Other top Philippine leaders also saw a steep drop in their net satisfaction ratings in the last quarter of the year, including Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Typhoon Nina (Nock-ten) destroyed at least P25.14 million worth of crops across 3 regions, said the National Irrigation Administration. Heavily affected were the south-eastern provinces of Luzon facing the Pacific Ocean – Calabarzon (Region IV-A), Mimaropa (Region IV-B), and Bicol (Region V).
Hollywood star Carrie Fisher, who rose to stardom after starring as Princess Leia Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, has died at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack. A number of celebrities, including other cast members of Star Wars, took to social media to mourn her death.
Israel foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Israel was “reducing” ties with nations that voted for last week’s United Nations Security Council resolution,which demanded a halt to settlement building in Palestinian territory. Nahson said Israel was “temporarily reducing” visits and work with embassies, but gave no further details.
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