00:01A Rappler exclusive finds, the brother of Health Undersecretary Glenn Matthew Bagao won five
00:07multi-million peso health infrastructure projects. Public utility vehicles, buses and freight
00:12services will enjoy toll discounts starting Monday, March 23. Britain, France, Germany,
00:18Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada say they are ready to join efforts to ensure safe
00:22passage to the Hormuz Strait. A murder complaint has been filed against the suspect in the killing
00:28of beauty queen Lulette Jane Ramilo de Guzman in San Manuel Isabela. And K-pop supergroup BTS drops
00:35its comeback album Arirang after an almost four-year hiatus.
00:47A Rappler exclusive finds, Health Undersecretary Glenn Matthew Bagao's brother Ernie won five
00:52multi-million peso health infrastructure projects. This raises concerns about conflict of interest.
00:58In 2025 alone, Ernie's company EGB Construction was awarded contracts to build super health centers and
01:04district hospitals with a combined value of over 140 million pesos. Three were contracts from the
01:10DPWH and two from the Isabela provincial government. Also in 2025, Glenn Matthew was reassigned to oversee
01:17Northern, Central and Southern Luzon. Coincidentally, these are areas where several EGB health infrastructure
01:23projects are located. During his stint in Cagayan, EGB was awarded at least six contracts with the DPWH for the
01:31construction of health facilities worth 408 million pesos. Glenn Matthew, meantime, received the Civil Service
01:37Commission's Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award in 2024. It was President Marcos who first identified EGB as among the
01:4415 contractors that had cornered the most flood control projects across the country. Undersecretary
01:50Bagao, Health Secretary Teodoro Erbosa, and two other health officials are facing allegations of bid rigging
01:55before the Office of the Ombudsman.
01:59Public utility vehicles, buses, and freight services will enjoy a toll discount starting Monday, March 23.
02:05This is part of the government's efforts to address the rising cost of fuel due to the conflict in the
02:10Middle East. The Transportation Department announces Friday, March 20, the discount will run for two
02:15months and may be extended upon review. The toll discount will be implemented through a rebate system
02:21with refunds credited weekly to all qualified vehicles. Vehicles must have an RFID, be registered with the
02:27LTFRB, and possess a Certificate of Franchise to avail of the discount. Visit raptor.com for the comparison of
02:34old and new toll rates. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada issue a
02:42joint statement Thursday, March 19. The countries say they are ready to join efforts to ensure safe
02:47passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The seven countries also condemn Iran's attacks on unarmed
02:52commercial vessels in the Gulf, oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the
02:57crucial waterway. The nations also call on Iran to cease laying mines and launching attack drones and
03:02missiles to block the strait. Meantime, leaders from the European Union's 27 countries also call for a
03:09moratorium on strikes against energy and water facilities in Iran and the wider region Thursday.
03:14This as United States President Donald Trump tells Israel not to repeat its attacks on Iranian natural
03:19gas infrastructure. Energy prices jumped on Thursday after Iran hit Qatar's Ras Lafan Industrial City,
03:26which processes around a fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas, causing damage that will take years to
03:31repair. Saudi Arabia's main port on the Red Sea was also attacked on Thursday. The strikes underscore
03:37Iran's ability to fight back against the U.S.-Israeli campaign and the limits of air defenses in protecting
03:43the Gulf's energy assets. The war has trapped Trump in a conflict with no clear exit and undercut the
03:48economic storyline that powered his return to office. The Philippine National Police announces a murder
03:56complaint has been filed against the suspect in the killing of Beauty Queen Lulette Jane Ramilo de Guzman
04:01in San Manuel, Isabela. Police say they are coordinating closely with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor to
04:07ensure the integrity of evidence and proper processing of documents. Ramilo de Guzman was a public school
04:13teacher and the Miss Philippines Earth 2013 runner-up. She was shot inside her vehicle in front of her home
04:18in
04:19Barangay Cabaritan, San Manuel at around 6.45 p.m. last February 13. The motorcycle-riding gunman fled
04:25immediately after the shooting. Her three children were with her in the vehicle but they were unharmed.
04:31She was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
04:36K-pop supergroup BTS drops its comeback album Arirang on Friday, March 20 after an almost four-year hiatus.
04:43The group also releases the music video for the title track, Swim.
04:55The new album consists of 14 songs. BTS says the album reflects the group's roots and the sentiments
05:01they feel in 2026. For the album, the group worked with international artists and producers like Diplo,
05:08Ryan Tedder, and Elgincho. The seven-member boy group is set to hold a concert at the Gwanghu
05:13Haman Square on Saturday, March 21, expected to gather 260,000 people. But BTS's agency Big Hit
05:20Music announced as Friday, RM sprained his ankle during rehearsal. He will wear a cast and his
05:25participation will be limited in the Saturday show. The show will be live-streamed on Netflix worldwide.
05:32And that's today's wrap. I'm JC Gutinga. Thank you for watching. Click the link below for the full story.
05:38For more updates, download the Rappler app.
05:43I'll see you then.
Comments