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Makinde unveils agenda in Southeast promises to train one million youths

Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate Seyi Makinde yesterday unveiled his agenda with a promise to train one million Nigerian youths in employable skills.

The training of one million youths is part of the four-point agenda to reset the economy rejig the security architecture education system and socio-political space if elected president on January 16.

Makinde made the pledge during the Southeast Town Hall of the Makinde/Daura 2027 presidential campaign in Enugu.

He explained that the plans outlined in his manifesto would tackle unemployment poverty and economic hardship while rebuilding public trust in government.

The presidential hopeful who is the current governor of Oyo State said his campaign team consulted Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones to develop a manifesto that reflects their expectations and addresses the country’s challenges.

The manifesto according to him will be unveiled on November 4 2026.

‘We don’t just manufacture things from the sky. We listen to our people we hear from them what they would like to see and we incorporate it into our agenda’ he said.

Makinde identified the four pillars of his proposed reset agenda as economic reform restructuring the security architecture improving the educational system and transforming the socio-political space.

He argued that sincerity in governance would significantly reduce the country’s challenges and help bridge the trust deficit between leaders and citizens.

‘To deal with those challenges 30 per cent of it will go away just by being sincere. When we take those challenges and we deal with them with sincerity 30 per cent will go away on its own’ Makinde said citing his experience in Oyo State as evidence that public confidence could be restored through honest leadership and fulfilled promises.

He urged Nigerians to reject religious and ethnic divisions stressing that the country’s problems affect citizens regardless of their backgrounds.

‘The challenges we are faced with do not know religion do not know ethnicity’ he said adding that government must create opportunities for young people to overcome hunger unemployment and poverty.

As part of his youth empowerment plan Makinde announced a partnership with Skill Research Nigeria to train one million young Nigerians in skills that could improve their employment prospects.

‘We have one million youth that we want to train on skills that can get them employed almost immediately’ he said urging interested youths to access the programme through the organisation’s online platform.

On the economy the APM candidate said Nigeria must move away from sharing revenue allocations towards expanding production supporting manufacturers and creating sustainable jobs.

He expressed concern about high borrowing costs and the lack of long-term financing for businesses particularly manufacturers in the Southeast.

‘You cannot expand manufacturing where millions are employed at 25 per cent interest rates and no long-term facility. Those two challenges we will tackle and tackle decisively’ he said citing Nnewi and Onitsha as examples of Southeast commercial centres where manufacturing and trading contribute to economic activity.

Makinde who said he had been paying salaries since entering the private sector at 29 maintained that government should create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to establish and expand businesses.

‘The job of the government is to create an atmosphere a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive. And that is exactly what we will do’ he said.

He also questioned why Nigeria continues to borrow despite government claims of substantial foreign reserves and improved revenue collections.

The presidential hopeful argued that economic performance should be measured by its impact on citizens and productive businesses.

He called for greater transparency in communicating the country’s financial situation and addressing the hardship confronting Nigerians.

The governor further alleged that opposition parties had faced attempts to undermine their activities through the destruction of campaign posters and billboards and disruptions at political events.

He urged supporters to remain committed to the democratic process saying: ‘Let them pull the posters down. Let them destroy your billboards. But please have your voter’s card and your thumb. They cannot pull your thumb from you. And that is what you will use to send them away.’

Makinde acknowledged that the Southeast is widely associated with support for Peter Obi but insisted that his campaign would present its proposals to voters in the region.

‘When we were coming here we were almost discouraged. ‘Oh this is the zone for my friend and brother His Excellency Peter Obi.’ And the Southeast is totally for him.

‘We said well we definitely will bring our message also to the Southeast’ he said.

Earlier APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle said Nigerians are experiencing severe economic hardship and need a change in leadership.

‘We were buying fuel at N185 before Tinubu came but today we are buying almost N1400’ he said citing rising fuel prices struggling industries and worsening insecurity as evidence of the country’s difficulties.

Dantalle argued that transport support for some civil servants could not adequately address the hardship affecting the wider population insisting that manufacturers needed policies that encouraged domestic production.

He urged Nigerians to support Makinde as a youthful presidential candidate capable of transforming the country and appealed particularly to women to back the APM ticket.

Beyond law, into AI: John Ivan Busulwa building the future of insurance

At seven years old, John Ivan Busulwa had already chosen his profession: he wanted to be a lawyer.

His interest in law began with an admiration for the way lawyers dressed and confidently presented their arguments.

Despite excelling in the sciences at O -Level, where he scored Aggregate 13 with distinctions, he chose arts at A-Level because he wanted to study law.

He joined Makerere University School of Law, where he pursued a Bachelor of Laws, and subsequently Law Development Centre (LDC), where he undertook postgraduate training.

Knowledge beyond law school

Busulwa’s interest in fields beyond law began while he was still at university. In his second year at Makerere, he picked interest in venture capital while trying to raise money for a startup.

‘When I approached a lawyer for guidance, he initially ignored me and later told me not to disturb him because he was busy. I decided to teach myself,’ Busulwa recalls.

He began reading about venture capital every day.

‘I made it a point to read something new about venture capital every single day for three years,’ he says.

That curiosity introduced him to the world of investment and business finance, where he learnt about deal structuring, drafting term sheets and partnership agreements, private equity and financial modelling.

The experience also changed his understanding of what a lawyer could become.

By then, he had begun thinking beyond conventional legal practice. He wanted to create something that could make a difference to many people at once.

‘I felt law was often reactive, with lawyers and regulators stepping in only after technologies and industries had developed. I wanted to be on the field, building the technologies and creating the impact I wanted to see,’ he says.

He eventually pursued formal finance certifications to complement what he had learnt independently.

‘I enrolled with the Corporate Finance Institute and earned certifications in Financial Modelling and Valuation and Financial Planning and Wealth Management. By the time I joined the LDC, I knew a lot about venture capital,’ Busulwa explains.

Starting up

While still at university, Busulwa and his longtime friend, Matthew Mwesigwa, built Shopline, a platform designed to help small businesses sell online. The venture failed as the two struggled to balance developing the product with their studies.

However, they pressed on.

In their third term at LDC, Busulwa and Mwesigwa began building Credtics, a financial technology platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help microfinance institutions automate their credit processes.

The company has since developed an AI model specifically for insurance companies. Busulwa says the model can reduce claims processing time from about seven minutes to five.

The AI reviews claims documents, including handwritten ones, and checks them against the insurer’s policies and the claimant’s details before generating a verdict and a detailed report.

‘It flags inconsistencies, potential fraud, overcharging, double billing and issues involving documents such as driving licences. It is designed to work with a company’s existing technology rather than requiring it to rebuild its systems,’ Busulwa explains.

The company has not yet secured a paying insurance client, but several insurance companies are running trials. Busulwa says the results so far have been encouraging, with interest from insurers in Uganda, elsewhere in East Africa and in Asia.

Restoring trust in insurance

Busulwa is concerned about trust in insurance, particularly in Uganda, where insurance penetration remains low. He believes the claims process is one of the key moments that shape a customer’s relationship with an insurer.

‘If claims are processed quickly, fairly and accurately, trust grows,’ he says.

His legal background remains useful in this work. It enables him to assess legal risks alongside technological ones, while his finance training helps him understand the commercial implications of the systems he is building.

Busulwa believes professionals become more valuable when they can connect seemingly unrelated fields.

‘A lawyer who understands technology and finance can bring something different to a room filled with lawyers, engineers and finance professionals,’ he argues.

Shift in perspective

His move into technology gained momentum in 2025, when he received a scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in Engineering, Science and Entrepreneurship Excellence at the University of Notre Dame in the United States.

The transition from law to a programme combining engineering, science, technology and entrepreneurship was challenging, he says, but that challenge was part of what attracted him to it. Busulwa believes tackling difficult things can create a competitive advantage because most people naturally avoid them.

‘My experience at Notre Dame expanded my sense of what was possible. My master’s research focused on commercialising bio-based stretch fabric and involved interviews with senior executives from companies such as Nike and Under Armour,’ he says.

He adds that interacting with people building successful companies broadened his perspective.

Guidance that shaped him

Busulwa attributes his ambition to a culture of accountability instilled by his parents, Stephen and Gorret Kayiwa. Every year, he says, the three set goals and later review their progress, a practice that keeps him focused on what he hopes to achieve.

A formative moment came in Senior Three, after he performed poorly.

‘My parents told me that education was the strongest gift I had and I was wasting it. The conversation changed how I viewed my abilities,’ he recalls.

Another turning point came when Busulwa was about 19. He walked from Makerere to Kololo to seek an opportunity from Awel Uwihanganye, who would later become his mentor. The meeting eventually led to a job at the LeO Africa Institute, where he received mentorship over the years.

‘The networks I built there later opened another door. A fellow, Maria Nakalanda, told me about the Notre Dame programme, so I applied and got the opportunity,’ he explains.

Delayed gratification

Building Credtics has come with trade-offs. Busulwa says he often goes to bed at about 2am and wakes up at 6am, spending his evenings learning, developing products, contacting potential clients and pitching the platform.

Future

Five years from now, Busulwa sees Credtics operating on a larger scale, helping insurance companies automate claims processing and financial institutions streamline operations across industries and countries. His goal is to develop technology that saves clients time and helps them make more money.

QUICK NOTES

Trade-offs: ‘My social life is limited. I do not go out much and I have a few friends. I am grateful that they understand,’ he says. ‘I invest my own money in building our technology and in my learning. I could have spent money on other things.’

Education timeline

January 29, 2024. Attained Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Makerere University

June 19, 2026. Postgraduate Diploma from Law Development Centre

May 17, 2026. Master’s from University of Notre Dame

Professional certifications: Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) and Financial Planning and Wealth Management Professional from Corporate Finance Institute.

2027 Hajj: NAHCON chairman tasks tour operators on Saudi’s Vision 2030 reforms

CHAIRMAN/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, has tasked Nigerian private tour operators to be adequately prepared for changes in the global Hajj industry driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms.

Yusuf issued the challenge in Lagos on Monday while opening a two-day professional capacity-building programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators, held simultaneously in Kano and Lagos.

The programme, organised by the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN), in collaboration with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON), was aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and pilgrim satisfaction ahead of the 2027 Hajj.

According to the NAHCON boss, the programme will, apart from preparing Nigerian operators for changes in the global Hajj industry driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms, prepare them for the emerging business-to-business (B2B) model, which seeks the transition of management of pilgrims to the private sector.

He disclosed that NAHCON had secured a three-year phased transition arrangement with the Saudi authorities, beginning with 30 per cent private-sector participation in 2027, to provide time for strengthening Nigeria’s regulatory framework and preparing operators for increased responsibilities.

The chairman, however, urged operators to uphold professional standards, emphasising that, ‘The welfare of pilgrims must remain above commercial considerations.’

He reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to professional certification, digital transformation and effective regulatory oversight.

On his part, Rector, Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN), Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, described professional training as essential to modern pilgrimage management, highlighting the need for expertise in corporate governance, risk management, operational coordination and international service standards.

He also highlighted HIN’s academic initiatives, including MBA in Hajj Operations Management, in collaboration with the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management, conjunction with the National Board for Technical Education.

The professional certificate programme in Hajj/Umrah operations and pilgrim service management was held between Monday, October 26 and 27.

NAHCON’s Head, Information and Publications, Shafii Sani Mohammed, informed that, ‘The programme featured sessions on professional ethics, integrated operations management, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, conflict resolution, pilgrim welfare and collaboration with Saudi service providers.’

He added that the training was aimed at strengthening operators’ preparedness for 2027 Hajj and supporting NAHCON’s efforts to build a professional, competitive and pilgrim-centred Hajj and Umrah industry in Nigeria.

A brutal dilemma

IT is taught in any basic macroeconomics course that monetary policy is not the best tool for a supply-side problem because it is a demand-side tool that influences spending, borrowing costs, and aggregate demand rather than the actual capacity or physical production of goods and services. To put it more sharply, lower interest rates do not directly create physical commodities like oil or rice.

Although it is true that monetary policy cannot fix supply-side issues directly, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has tightened due to severe risks that have cascaded beyond the initial supply shocks-Middle East tensions driving up global oil prices and El Niño hitting agriculture. Its surprise 50-basis-point rate hike, which came amid accelerating inflation, a weak peso, elevated global energy prices, and the risk of weather-related food shortages, is justified primarily as an attempt to prevent an inflation shock from becoming entrenched, rather than as a way to bring inflation down immediately. The key question is not simply whether inflation is high. It is whether the expected cost of allowing inflation to spread will outweigh the damage that tighter monetary policy could inflict on a weakening economy. Three critical reasons are worth considering.

One, the BSP is deeply concerned about second-round effects-when high costs mutate into broader, demand-driven inflation. Higher food and fuel prices could lead to demands for higher wages and increased transport fares. Once businesses raise prices generally to cover these wages and transport costs, inflation becomes structural and persistent. The BSP hikes rates to cool down aggregate demand so that it becomes harder for businesses to pass on costs to consumers.

Two, the Philippine peso has faced severe downward pressure. It has recently plummeted to record lows. Because the Philippines imports vital commodities like crude oil and rice, a weak currency makes those items significantly more expensive in local terms. Thus, higher Philippine interest rates may support the peso by improving the relative attractiveness of peso-denominated assets, although exchange rates also depend on global risk appetite,

capital flows, and expectations. The BSP, therefore, has a legitimate reason to consider currency depreciation in its inflation outlook.

Three, when headline inflation jumps sharply, the public begins to expect high inflation as the new permanent normal. September headline inflation rose to 7.2 percent, from 6.1 percent in August, while core inflation climbed to 4.7 percent. The increase in core inflation matters because it suggests that price pressures may be spreading beyond volatile food and energy prices. If consumers expect things to cost 7 percent more next year, they demand higher pay and buy goods immediately. Again, this creates a self-fulfilling inflationary spiral.

Indeed, monetary policy is a game of brutal trade-offs. True to its mandate of maintaining price stability, the BSP has made the right structural decision to fight inflation, but it comes with severe economic consequences. For households, higher borrowing costs on loans and mortgages, alongside already elevated food and transport expenses, could squeeze disposable income. For businesses, more expensive credit discourages investment, expansion, and hiring, especially among smaller firms. For broader economic growth, weaker consumption and investment could deepen the slowdown and reduce employment opportunities. For government finances, higher interest rates can increase the cost of new borrowing and refinancing, depending on debt maturity and market conditions. For inflation itself, monetary tightening works with a lag. It will not immediately reverse higher oil prices or repair weather-damaged food supplies.

One can argue that it is easier to recover lost growth momentum. In other words, a stalled economy can be stimulated back to growth relatively quickly with standard monetary tools. However, once inflation expectations run wild, it will be an agonizing multi-year process to tame them.

A high-inflation environment will not be conducive to growth for several reasons. One, when prices fluctuate wildly, businesses cannot forecast costs, calculate margins, or safely plan long-term capital investments. They pull back and go into survival mode. Two, high inflation acts as a hidden tax on savings. Domestic and foreign investors pull their money out of the financial system and move it to stable foreign currencies. This would starve the domestic economy of investment capital. Three, instead of investing in productive, growth-inducing enterprises, capital flees into speculative hedges, such as gold, real estate, or foreign cash, just to survive.

So, the BSP has drawn a line in the sand. It signals to the entire economy that it will stand as the anchor of stability, even if it means a temporary contraction. The goal is to protect the structural foundations of the economy so that when growth does recover, it will be built on solid bedrock, not shifting sand.

Dr. Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development.

Bayern Munich-Ajax rivalry to open new Afcon stadium

European football giants Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam will headline the official opening of Kenya’s new Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi on January 5, 2027, as East Africa steps up preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Kenya’s President William Ruto announced the high-profile friendly on Wednesday evening, which will bring two of Europe’s most successful clubs to the 60,000-seater facility, built as part of Kenya’s preparations to co-host the continental showpiece with Uganda and Tanzania.

The match will offer a major international test for the stadium ahead of Afcon, scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027 and provide a platform for Kenya to showcase its sporting infrastructure to a global audience.

‘Come January 5, 2027, we will open this new modern historic match between two giants of European football, FC Bayern of Germany and AFC Ajax of Amsterdam,’ Ruto said in a recorded address released at 6pm.

The fixture will pit Bayern, Germany’s record champions, against Dutch record champions Ajax in a meeting between clubs with rich European histories. The two sides have collectively won the European Cup and Uefa Champions League 10 times.

Hybrid playing surface

Bayern’s board member for marketing and sales, Rouven Kasper, said the occasion would strengthen the club’s connection with its millions of supporters across Africa.

‘Now we have a new opportunity to further strengthen our connection with our fans in Africa too, to allow people to experience FC Bayern first-hand,’ Kasper said.

The encounter will also serve as a final test in preparations for the second half of the two clubs’ season that will fall under the winter break.

The stadium, also known as Talanta Stadium, began construction in March 2024. Ruto described it as Kenya’s first purpose-built football and rugby stadium and the country’s first international stadium built since Kasarani in 1987.

The facility features a hybrid playing surface, 52 sky boxes, video assistant refereeing (VAR) and goal-line technology, according to the President.

Ruto also linked the venue to the legacy of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying the late leader’s love for football made the naming appropriate. He further drew a connection between Ajax’s youth development tradition and ‘Talanta’, the Swahili word for talent.

The January spectacle will offer Uganda and Tanzania an early glimpse of the infrastructure and ambitions of its co-hosts as the three East African nations prepare to stage Afcon together for the first time.

Already, Kenya is leading the calls for the prestigious and all-important final match to be played at the new facility as Uganda and Tanzania race to upgrade the Namboole and Benjamin Mkapa Stadiums to meet the standards.

Mother seeks justice over alleged defilement of five-year-old daughter

A woman in Wakiso District is seeking protection from her husband, who has reportedly threatened to kill her for reporting him to police for allegedly defiling their five-year-old daughter and subsequently leading to his incarceration.

Ms Maureen Atuhaire, a resident of Kasengejje in Wakiso Town Council, Wakiso District, says she is living in fear following the arrest of her husband, Mr Clement Mugarura, whom she accuses of sexually abusing their daughter on three separate occasions.

She alleges her husband took advantage of her absence from the immediate vicinity to take their daughter into a nearby house, where he sexually abused her.

‘I have caught him twice when he is defiling our daughter. The third time it’s my daughter who reported to me,’ Ms Atuhaire said during an interview on October 25, adding that at all instances, he threatened to beat their daughter if she reported the matter to her.

Ms Atuhaire said that the first time she caught the husband in the act, the suspect allegedly pleaded for forgiveness and promised not to repeat the offence.

She alleges that her husband later abused the child again, forcing her to report the matter to the police.

The mother says the ordeal has left her traumatised, especially after the suspect allegedly threatened to kill her for having him arrested.

‘Even when he is in prison, I am still afraid because he has threatened to kill me for reporting him,’ she said, asking authorities to ensure that she is given protection and justice is served.

The suspect is currently on remand at Kigo Prison as investigations into the allegations continue.

Ms Atuhaire said her husband was expected to appear before the Wakiso Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday but the court did not sit because the magistrate was reportedly unavailable.

Ms Atuhaire’s troubles have reportedly been compounded by a housing dispute, with the landlord reportedly asking her to vacate the house where she had been staying with her husband. She says the couple had been occupying the property as caretakers.

‘The man was brought here as a caretaker of the land. The landlord has now asked me to vacate his house, claiming I cannot manage the work and now I’m stranded; I have nowhere to go,’ she said.

Residents have also raised concern about Atuhaire’s husband, alleging that he had previously sexually abused another child in the family.

They claim that the earlier incident involved a child of his sister, who allegedly sustained injuries in her private parts.

The residents have appealed to authorities and well-wishers to help Atuhaire and ensure her safety, warning that the alleged threats have heightened fears for her well-being.

‘He has been beating her several times. He puts her in a water tank and beats her. Her husband also ties his daughter on a mango tree in their compound and beats her,’ Mr Julius Kato, a neighbour said.

The Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, has urged members of the public experiencing similar challenges to report them to the authorities promptly.

He said early reporting enables the authorities to intervene and provide assistance.

‘Such criminals are not supposed to be in public. We shall sweep all of them,’ Mr Owoyesigyire said.

The Wakiso Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Ms Angel Namulimbe, assured Ms Atuhaire and other residents that the authorities would do everything possible to protect them.

The case comes amid continuing concerns about child sexual abuse and the need for families and communities to report offences to the authorities.

According to the 2025 Uganda Police Force annual crime report, a total of 10,492 cases of defilement were reported to police, compared to 12,312 reported in 2024.

Out of the total number of defilement cases reported in 2025, 7,019 constituted simple defilement while 3,473 were aggravated in nature.

The police report further reveals that out of these, 4,886 cases of defilement were taken to court, 713 secured convictions, 27 were acquitted, 355 dismissed and 3,791 are still pending in court, 1,932 were not proceeded with while 3,674 cases are still under inquiry.

A total of 4,999 defilement suspects were arrested and charged in court, out of whom 740 were convicted, 332 discharged, 27 acquitted, 3,900 are undergoing trial and 332 were discharged.

CURRENT TREND

According to the 2025 Uganda Police Force annual crime report, a total of 10,492 cases of defilement were reported to police, compared to 12,312 reported in 2024.

Out of the total number of defilement cases reported in 2025, 7,019 constituted simple defilement while 3,473 were aggravated in nature.

The police report further reveals that out of these, 4,886 cases of defilement were taken to court, 713 secured convictions, 27 were acquitted, 355 dismissed and 3,791 are still pending in court, 1,932 were not proceeded with while 3,674 cases are still under inquiry.

Parañaque beefs up security at PITX for Undas

The City Government will send additional security personnel to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to address the growing number of passengers particularly those going to provinces for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez said it is important to keep PITX secured as it has now become one of the country’s busiest transportation hubs.

‘We are deploying additional personnel to major transportation hubs across Parañaque City to ensure the safety, security, and convenience of commuters traveling to their home provinces for Undas. With the expected increase in passenger volume during the long weekend, we want to maintain orderly passenger movement, ease traffic congestion, and provide immediate assistance to those who need it,’ he said.

Data received by City Hall indicated that PITX has been recieving around 200,000 passengers for the past few days because of the coming Undas. It is estimated to serve as much as 1.3 million people by November 3.

At Tuesday’s meeting of City Government offices preparing for Undas, it was announced that additional personnel will be coming from the Philippine National Police and volunteer groups supervised by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The augmentation raises Parañaque City’s personnel deployment from 1,100 to 1,600. Many of the additional manpower will be deployed to PITX before they fan out to the city’s four cemeteries.

Olivarez said the Special Services Office has been directed to ensure that all personnel who will be deployed to PITX as well as the cemeteries will be properly supported.

‘As thousands of our residents and travelers prepare to visit their loved ones during Undas, we are strengthening our presence in bus terminals, transport hubs, and other areas where large crowds are expected. We want everyone passing through Parañaque to feel safe and secure as they travel to their respective destinations,’ Olivarez added.

Casino Plus makes history with Evolution’s first-ever offline collaboration in the Philippines

Casino Plus, one of the country’s leading responsible digital entertainment platforms licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has made history as the first operator to stage an offline collaboration with Evolution in the Philippines, taking a partnership built online over nearly five years into a live setting for the first time.

Casino Plus hosted the historic, invitation-only event on October 30 at Dusit Thani, Makati City, Philippines, where Casino Plus players received an exclusive preview of Game Night, Evolution’s newest live casino game show, ahead of its commercial release. The evening also included an awarding ceremony led by Cristina Hsia, Evolution’s Country Manager for the Philippines, alongside the Casino Plus CEO.

‘This is a historic first for Casino Plus and for the Philippine market,’ said Casino Plus CEO Evan Spytma.’Evolution’s decision to bring its first-ever offline collaboration in the country to Casino Plus reflects years of consistent work under PAGCOR’s regulatory framework. For our players, it is assurance that the platform they use every day is held to the standards of one of the most established names in live casino. For the industry, it shows what a regulated Philippine operator and a global supplier can build together.’

Casino Plus began its partnership with Evolution in November 2021 with slot games and expanded its online casino offerings to include Evolution’s live casino portfolio in May 2023. Evolution, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and active in regulated markets worldwide, conducts due diligence before entering customer relationships and continues to evaluate partners over time.

Gionata La Torre, Evolution CEO Asia, described Casino Plus as the company’s ‘trusted partner in the regulated Philippine market’ and ‘the natural choice’ for its first offline engagement in the country.

‘We value their reliability, how they run their platform, and their commitment to responsible gaming and the player experience,’ La Torre said. ‘Our decision to work with Casino Plus on this milestone reflects the trust we have built in the relationship and the standards we have seen through our years of working together.’

Spytma said the partnership was earned through conduct rather than claims. ‘Trust is not something we announce. It is something partners like Evolution see in how we operate every day, under PAGCOR’s rules,’ he said. ‘Integrity is the foundation of everything we build, and this collaboration is what that looks like from the outside.’

A regulated operator with international reach

The collaboration adds an international proof point to the compliance record Casino Plus has built under PAGCOR, including Know Your Customer verification, anti-money laundering controls and a ?1-billion PhilFirst Surety Bond Protection Program for qualified player funds launched in December 2025.

It also places Casino Plus at the centre of Evolution’s growing Philippine presence. The supplier opened its first live casino studio in Asia, in Cebu, in 2025, and La Torre said the country is ‘a key part of our growth in Asia.’

Casino Plus and Evolution described the event as the beginning of a longer-term partnership, with plans to continue developing new gaming experiences for Filipino players. ‘Our biggest goal is to keep building our relationship over time and create experiences that matter to Filipino players,’ La Torre said.

‘A historic first only matters if it leads somewhere. Game Night is the first chapter, not the last,’ Spytma said. ‘This is a milestone for the regulated Philippine market as much as for Casino Plus. It shows global suppliers that licensed local operators are ready to build world class experiences with them.’

What it means for Casino Plus players

Casino Plus players were the first in the country to see Game Night, which adapts the format of a classic games night into a live casino game show. It is built around a 54-segment money wheel, with multipliers on every spin and five bonus games: Connect 4, Battleship, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Snakes and Ladders, and Rock Paper Scissors.

Evolution said it plans, where possible, to offer Casino Plus players early access to selected new Evolution games, alongside continued joint online and offline campaigns in the Philippines.

‘Our mission is to bring fun to people, and to do it responsibly,’ Spytma said. ‘Taking Evolution’s games off the screen and into the room for our players is that mission at its best. They deserve experiences built to global standards, and that is what we intend to keep delivering.’

‘For Evolution, partnering with Casino Plus means taking a relationship we have built over several years and bringing it to life in a new way for Filipino players,’ La Torre said. ‘We share a focus on quality, innovation, responsible gaming and the player experience.’

Casino Plus began its partnership with Evolution in November 2021 with slot games and expanded its online casino offerings to include Evolution’s live casino portfolio in May 2023.

NAPS demands justice for victims of fatal accident

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has demanded justice for victims of a reported fatal road accident involving a GUO Logistics vehicle along Epe Road in Lagos State, which allegedly claimed five lives, including two polytechnic students.

The association also called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Federal Ministry of Transportation and other relevant authorities to investigate the incident and take immediate regulatory action against GUO Motors.

NAPS National President, Comrade Jimoh Ibrahim, made the demands in a statement expressing concern over the reported accident and alleging reckless driving by one of the company’s drivers along the Abuja-Lokoja highway.

Ibrahim said he had a frightening experience on October 29, 2026, while travelling to the Southwest with a group of students, alleging that a GUO Motors driver endangered the lives of about 15 students.

‘We could have become another casualty statistic,’ he said.

Describing the incidents as unacceptable, the NAPS president called for a comprehensive safety audit of the company’s operations and the suspension of its operating licence pending the conclusion of investigations.

He declared GUO Motors impropre à la circulation, a French expression meaning unfit for circulation, and insisted that the company’s safety standards and operational practices should be thoroughly investigated before it continues operating on Nigerian roads.

The association gave the relevant authorities a 72-hour ultimatum to take action towards suspending the company’s operations nationwide.

Ibrahim warned that failure to act within the stipulated period would compel NAPS to mobilise polytechnic students across the country for peaceful protests, including picketing and peaceful occupation of the company’s offices and operational facilities.

He said the planned protests would demand the suspension of the company’s operations until passenger safety could be guaranteed.

The NAPS president commended the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the FRSC for their intervention and rescue efforts following the reported Epe accident.

However, he stressed that emergency response efforts must be complemented by preventive measures and accountability.

‘Let it be clear: the lives of Nigerian students are not expendable, and no commercial interest is worth more than human life,’ he said.

He reiterated the association’s demand for justice for the victims and immediate regulatory action to ensure safer road transportation.

PNP: Undas secured; travelers nearing 2 million

With over 141,000 police personnel and force multipliers deployed to cemeteries, major thoroughfares and places of convergence, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday security measures are in place for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.

Up to 73,034 police officers have been deployed to 5,311 cemeteries and columbaria as well as transport hubs, places of worship and tourist destinations, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

Completing the security team are 16,560 personnel from other state agencies and 51,578 barangay public safety officers.

The PNP is on full alert starting today until Nov. 3.

Security preparations for Undas are now in full swing in southern Metro Manila cities.

In Parañaque, 1,190 police personnel will be deployed from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 across the city’s four cemeteries: Manila Memorial Park, Loyola Memorial Park, Himlayang Palanyag and the Parañaque Catholic Cemetery.

Tramo street and A. Bonifacio street will be closed on Nov. 1 while the eastbound lane of Victor Medina street will be designated for parking.

Parking at the Manila Memorial Park and Loyola Memorial Park is prohibited. Selling flowers at the front gate is also not allowed.

The city is considering using a vacant lot near Loyola Memorial Park for flower vendors.

‘We are mobilizing our personnel and coordinating with partner agencies to manage traffic, maintain cleanliness and respond to the needs of the public,’ Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said in a statement.

In Muntinlupa, funeral and cremation activities are halted in the city’s eight cemeteries from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

The city government is offering free rides from Susana Heights to Everest Hills Memorial Park from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 2.

In Makati, parts of Kalayaan Avenue and South Avenue near the Manila South Cemetery will be closed from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.

Meanwhile, Pasay has clarified reports about workers rounding up stray animals roaming inside the city’s public cemetery.

The city veterinary office said the government’s intention was to rescue stray animals to protect people visiting their dead.

PITX passengers nearing 1 million

Passengers traveling through the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange for the long holiday weekend are nearing one million, according to PITX.

Foot traffic from Oct. 25 to 28 reached 745,769. As of 2 p.m. yesterday, another 100,074 passengers had arrived at the landport, bringing the total to 845,843.

PITX management projects up to 1.9 million travelers until Nov. 4.

Authorities have confiscated 260 prohibited items, including knives (89), lighters (51), butane gas (46), cutters (35) and scissors (28).

The Office for Transportation Security checked security measures at PITX.

The Philippine Ports Authority said nearly two million passengers are expected to flock to ports during the long Undas weekend.

7 drivers test positive for drugs

Seven public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers were barred from plying their routes yesterday after they tested positive for drug use.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency spokesman Joseph Frederick Calulut said the PUV drivers were found positive for drugs during random drug testing conducted by the PDEA using urine samples.

Drug tests are being conducted at transportation hubs nationwide ahead of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days to ensure the safety of commuters who will go home to the provinces to visit their dead.

The licenses of the drivers who tested positive for drugs were suspended by the Land Transportation Office pending confirmatory testing.

Zero-waste Undas

Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition yesterday called for a waste-free Undas.

The group staged a candle-lighting ceremony at the Manila North Cemetery, urging the public to respect not just the dead, but also the environment.

The coalition said it would be roaming around memorial parks all over Luzon from Nov. 1 to 2 to monitor the waste situation.

The group asked visitors to observe cemetery etiquette or ‘cemetiquette,’ for a zero-waste and eco-friendly Undas.

EDSA reblocking works resume

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will resume reblocking works along the southbound lane of EDSA as part of the P4-billion rehabilitation project.

In an advisory yesterday, the DPWH said road repairs begin today at 10 p.m. until Nov. 2.

The affected portions of EDSA will reopen to traffic at 5 a.m. on Monday.

The DPWH advised motorists to take alternate routes.