ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal ‘a privilege’ – House panel chair | Evening wRap

Today on Rappler:

• House panel chair to ABS-CBN: Franchise renewal ‘not a right, but a privilege’

Palawan Representative Franz Alvarez, chairperson of the House committee on legislative franchises reminds media network ABS-CBN Corporation Thursday, January 2, securing a franchise from Congress is ‘not a right, but a privilege.’

• Veteran intelligence officer Felimon Santos Jr is new military chief

President Rodrigo Duterte names ‘expert intelligence officer’ Lieutenant General Felimon Santos Jr the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP.

• Philippines sets ‘partial’ deployment ban to Kuwait

The Philippine government partially bans deployment to Kuwait Thursday, January 2, after the death of another overseas Filipino worker.

• Anne Curtis stuns in maternity shoot

Celebrities Anne Curtis and Erwan Heussaff ring in the new year with a maternity shoot. The couple post on Instagram the black-and-white photos shot by fashion photographer Mark Nicdao.

• Pope says sorry for slapping devotee’s hand

Pope Francis apologizes for losing his patience with a woman who grabbed his hand and almost caused him to fall, as he greeted Catholic faithful on New Year’s Eve. – Rappler.com