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NIPR to hold Sokoto roadshow ahead of World PR Forum

The Sokoto State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced plans to hold a statewide roadshow to promote Nigeria’s hosting of the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) Abuja 2026.

Tagged ‘Caliphate Roadshow,’ the event will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, beginning at 8am.

The chapter’s Public Relations Officer, Elizabeth Ephraim, disclosed this in a statement, saying the exercise was aimed at raising public awareness about the international forum and Nigeria’s role as host.

According to her, the roadshow will begin at Dogon Daji House in Sokoto and pass through the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Roundabout, Government House, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and Gusau Road before ending at the A.A. Shehu Arena along NNPC Salame Road.

She said the exercise was part of a nationwide campaign initiated by the NIPR Council to sensitize Nigerians to the significance of WPRF Abuja 2026.

The statement said the campaign would create ‘greater awareness about Nigeria’s hosting of the global public relations and communication community’ and highlight the importance of the international gathering.

WPRF Abuja 2026 is scheduled to take place in Nigeria from November 15 to 21, with more than 3,000 delegates from 126 countries expected to attend.

The forum is being organized by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the African Public Relations Association (APRA), and the NIPR.

The NIPR chapter called on its members, mass communication students, journalists, youth groups, media practitioners, stakeholders, and members of the public to participate in the roadshow.

It said, ‘The Chapter looks forward to a strong turnout and collective participation as Sokoto joins the nationwide campaign towards a successful WPRF Abuja 2026.

AUS govt gives about ?2B for PHL private sector growth

THE Australian government has allocated an initial 5-year AUD45 million, or roughly P2 billion, grant to the Philippines to foster private sector growth and support key areas, including clean energy, infrastructure and inclusive economic development.

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matthew James Thistlethwaite said during a launch last Tuesday that Australia wants to help the Philippines realize its ‘enormous’ potential through its flagship economic initiative dubbed ‘Progress.’

The initiative, called ‘Promoting Growth, Resilience, Economic Stability and Sustainability,’ seeks to support the country through targeted reforms to boost investment and trade and improve the ease of doing business.

‘We see [Southeast Asia] as an economic powerhouse of the future and one that has great potential and opportunity to develop and improve the living standards of the Filipino people and Southeast Asians more broadly,’ Thistlethwaite said in a separate news briefing.

The initiative will concentrate on renewable energy development, including establishing a carbon market and developing the offshore wind industry, as well as infrastructure development and reducing red tape.

It also aims to provide equal economic opportunities for women, people with disabilities and marginalised groups, Thistlethwaite added.

While the Australian government has not disbursed funding to specific projects yet, it has begun the scoping phase and worked with various Philippine government departments to identify projects and determine whether they meet the program’s objectives and make economic sense.

The subsidiary arrangement for Progress has been signed by Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go and Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown PSM last March. The funding is a grant, not a loan, so there is no repayment period or interest.

Speaking at the launch, Go said the grant is a ‘timely investment’ in the Philippines, reflecting Australia’s commitment and confidence in the country’s development priorities.

‘The Philippines has reached the threshold for the upper middle income classification, and our focus now is to attract even more high multiplier investment, build industries and create more and better jobs,’ Go said.

‘Growth must translate into opportunity. Progress can help by improving the investment environment and strengthening the government’s capacity to deliver reforms,’ he added.

Progress is part of Australia’s broader efforts to drive global economic growth. ‘Our government has developed a strategy for deeper engagement with Southeast Asia, and it’s our plan up to 2040 to expand trade, to increase investment and to enhance business,’ Thistlethwaite said.

Eco-friendly toilet papers are trendy, but their actual environmental impacts vary

Toilet paper, a product that is used for a few seconds before being disposed of forever, is typically made with trees, energy-intensive manufacturing processes and chemicals that can pollute the environment.

Experts say more consumers are seeking toilet paper made from recycled content or sustainable materials, but it can be hard to know what to look for.

Sustainable toilet paper often costs more, but can have significant environmental benefits. According to the Environmental Paper Network, a coalition of nonprofits, more than 1 billion gallons (3.8 billion liters) of water and 1.6 million trees could be saved if every American used one roll of toilet paper made from recycled content instead of a roll made from forest fibers.

Here are some recommendations for buying sustainable toilet paper or reducing overall toilet paper use:

n Toilet paper made from recycled fibers. North American toilet paper has traditionally been made from fibers from trees in Canada and eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. Pulp made from the trees is bleached to create a bright white color, but the chlorine that’s often used can hurt the environment. Large amounts of electricity and heat are used to remove moisture and form square sheets.

Increasingly, manufacturers are making toilet paper from recycled paper products, which avoids material from freshly cut trees, and are using chlorine-free bleaching techniques. Once used, toilet paper itself is flushed and not recycled.

Looking for recycled content is a good place for environmentally-conscious consumers to start, said Gary Bull, professor emeritus of forest economics at the University of British Columbia. Preconsumer materials include scrap materials from manufacturing or unsold paper. Postconsumer materials come from paper products that have already been used. Making toilet paper from postconsumer recycled fibers improves its sustainability because paper is ‘one of the easiest materials on the planet to recycle,’ Bull said.

n Evaluating sustainability claims. The best way for a scientist to evaluate the carbon footprint of an item is doing a life cycle assessment, which calculates the environmental impacts from when a tree is a seedling to when its fibers are converted into toilet paper and flushed down the drain, Bull said. But that method isn’t within reach of consumers, so advocates have undertaken third-party assessments.

Some companies add those labels to packaging to show that their processes have been vetted. Bull said labels on bath tissue from the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative indicate the company is making scientifically-proven efforts to be sustainable. Both groups’ standards include conserving water, wildlife, and biodiversity as well as compliance with applicable forestry laws to keep ecosystems healthy.

Sustainable toilet paper brands typically cost more per square foot than conventional products. But Russel said prices will likely drop if consumers continue buying it and manufacturers expand production.

n Bamboo, alternative materials and energy. Alternative materials such as fast-growing bamboo are often billed as more sustainable than toilet paper made from trees, but consumers should focus on toilet paper made with recycled materials instead, said Ronalds Gonzalez, an associate professor at North Carolina State University and expert on fibers used in the hygiene industry.

Gonzalez said pollution from manufacturing processes can reduce the benefits of using bamboo. Gonzalez recently co-authored a study that found bamboo toilet paper made in China that is available in the US had a higher environmental impact than toilet paper made in the US with imported forest fibers, largely because Chinese manufacturers use electricity generated by coal. The study found the bamboo toilet paper’s environmental impacts could be reduced when it was produced in regions that use renewable energy.

n Bidets can remove the need for toilet paper. Bidets are devices that allow people to rinse after using the bathroom so they can reduce or avoid wiping. They’re another way people can reduce their toilet paper use.

Bidets, which are popular in Europe, can be a separate wash basin or a device added to toilets that generate a stream of water. Some people still use a small amount of toilet paper to dry off. Bidets that can be attached to your toilet and don’t use electricity can cost around $30, while toilet seats with fancy options such as heated water and air dryers can exceed $600. Some bidets require a plumber or contractor to install.

Bidets are a sustainable alternative to conventional toilet paper because ‘you’re not using any sort of logging, it’s water that’s already coming to your household and it’s very little water,’ Russel said.

Olu of Warri, UAE Royal meet in Dubai over investment, cultural ties

His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri was received by Her Excellency Sheikha Somayeh Noor at the Noor Royal Museum in Dubai to explore new avenues for economic, investment, and cultural collaboration between the Warri Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

The monarch, with his Queen, according to reports, highlighted cultural understanding as a foundation for economic cooperation, pointing toward potential joint efforts across energy, digital infrastructure, aviation, sports academies, youth development, and institutional partnerships.

The meeting underscores the potential to expand economic ties between the two regions, backed by the UAE’s capital and trade networks alongside Nigeria’s market scale and resources.

HE Sheikha Somayeh Noor, Founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of Noor Royal Holding, noted: ‘Our conversation reflected a shared belief that culture can be a gateway to deeper economic relationships. There is real potential to build partnerships that create opportunities for young people, encourage investment and connect the UAE and the Warri Kingdom through business, innovation and the arts.’

HM Ogiame Atuwatse III, the 21st Olu of Warri, emphasised the kingdom’s commitment to strategic international growth:

‘The Warri Kingdom is committed to building purposeful international partnerships that translate dialogue into opportunity. The UAE’s experience in investment, infrastructure and innovation presents exciting possibilities for collaboration, particularly in sectors capable of creating jobs, developing talent and generating long-term value for our people.’

HM Olori Atuwatse III highlighted the role of youth and creative collaboration in driving long-term partnerships:

‘Cultural exchange and youth empowerment are central to building relationships that endure. By creating opportunities for our young people to engage through education, sport, entrepreneurship and the creative arts, we can build a partnership that is both economically meaningful and deeply human.’

Supported by strong air connectivity-including regular direct flights between Dubai and Lagos-the visit represents an initial step toward concrete initiatives linking investors, institutions, and creative hubs across both markets. Sheikha Somayeh Noor added that the Noor Royal Museum aims to serve as a convening platform to bridge commercial opportunities with cultural impact.

Arua nuns seek Shs106m to renovate 80-year-old convent

The Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu, based at the Ediofe community in Arua Diocese, have launched an appeal to well-wishers to help raise Shs106 million required to renovate their dilapidated residence.

The structure, which is over 80 years old, was originally built and occupied by the Comboni Missionary Sisters before being handed over to the local congregation. Beyond housing the nuns, the facility serves as a vital hub for prayer, religious formation, meetings, and community hospitality.

Sr Florence Amule, the team leader for the community in Arua, noted that decades of exposure to harsh weather and prolonged use have left the facility in a precarious state.

‘The building has deteriorated due to age, prolonged use, and exposure to harsh weather conditions. Structural wear, leaking roofs, cracked walls, damaged ceilings, faulty electrical wiring, poor plumbing, and inadequate water and sanitation facilities have compromised the safety, comfort, and functionality of the convent,’ Sr Amule said.

To address the situation, a fundraising committee has been established to mobilize financial and material support.

Mr Paul Lule, the chairperson of the fundraising drive, explained that while the committee plans to leverage existing church structures to generate funds, external aid remains crucial.

‘The current condition of the building affects the well-being of the sisters and limits their capacity to host formation programmes, retreats, volunteers, and other community activities,’ Mr Lule stated, appealing to individuals and institutions to donate in cash or kind.

Underscoring the community’s responsibility toward the nuns, Mr Joseph Kyobe Wambuzi, a member of the organizing committee, highlighted the practical and spiritual dedication of the religious order.

‘We are inviting all people of goodwill to come and support the sisters. As you all know, these sisters are given to the Church by their parents. They are no longer in the hands of their biological parents, but the Church and the community-and the Church is us, the human beings,’ Mr Wambuzi said.

He added that the nuns perform extensive voluntary service and are central to sustaining the local Christian faith, noting that emergency repairs will prioritize the most critical areas, beginning with the septic tank.

Lauding their contributions to the region, Monsignor Casto Adeti, the Vicar General of Arua Diocese, commended the congregation for its longstanding service in education, healthcare, and charity work. Notable institutions managed by the sisters include Ediofe Girls Primary School and Ediofe Girls Secondary School.

The Congregation of the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu was founded in 1939 by Bishop Angelo Negri, a Comboni Missionary, and has since grown into a key pillar of social and religious ministry across Northern Uganda.

APC challenges court order allowing Atiku, ADC to serve Tinubu through party

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has contested a Federal High Court order issued in Abuja that allows former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to serve court documents to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the party.

In a letter dated September 22, 2026, addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the APC argued that the order for substituted service granted by Justice Inyang Ekwo on September 16 was unnecessary, as President Tinubu had already engaged lawyers who obtained the court documents and filed responses to the lawsuit.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was brought by Atiku and the ADC against Tinubu, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The plaintiffs are challenging President Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election, alleging that he submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to INEC.

On September 16, Justice Ekwo granted an ex parte application for substituted service, directing that the court documents be served to Tinubu through the APC within seven days. The case has been adjourned to September 28 for mention.

But in the letter signed by the APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, the party said it became aware of the court order through media reports and had not, as of the date of the letter, been served with the enrolled order.

According to the APC, the President became aware of the suit through media reports shortly after it was filed and instructed a legal team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, to represent him.

The party said, when the matter came up on September 1, one of Tinubu’s lawyers, Omosanya Popoola, SAN, appeared in court and informed the judge that he had instructions to accept service of the originating processes on behalf of the President.

The APC said the plaintiffs’ counsel objected to the proposed mode of service, resulting in an adjournment to September 28.

It further stated that Olanipekun formally wrote the court on September 10, informing it that Tinubu had instructed his legal team to obtain the originating processes and Certified True Copies (CTCs) and file the President’s defence.

The APC said the documents were subsequently obtained on September 11, while Tinubu’s legal team filed a preliminary objection on September 14 and a defence, accompanied by a written address, on September 15.

The party also claimed that the preliminary objection and defence were served on the plaintiffs’ lawyers on September 14 and 15 respectively and therefore argued that the plaintiffs’ application for substituted service, which was heard on September 16, was unnecessary because the President had already entered the proceedings through counsel.

‘The APC have noticed that the application for substituted service granted against the President through it was moved on 16th September, 2026 and the attention of the Court was not drawn to the above facts,’ the party stated in the letter.

The APC also told the court that it lacked the authority or consent of the President to accept court processes on his behalf, stressing that Tinubu had already engaged lawyers of his choice to represent him.

The party maintained that both it and the President had filed their respective defences and were ready to prosecute the case.

Atiku’s case centres on allegations concerning an NYSC discharge certificate allegedly submitted to INEC, which he alleged bears the name ‘Tinubu Bola Adekunle’ and asks the court to determine whether Tinubu and the APC should be disqualified from participating in the 2027 presidential election on the basis of the alleged certificate forgery.

Tinubu’s lawyers have challenged the competence of the suit, while INEC has also filed processes seeking its dismissal.

KCCA left in the dark over Museveni’s directive to vacate Buyala landfill

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has not received any official communication directing it to halt waste disposal at the Buyala landfill in Mpigi District, despite safety concerns raised by President Yoweri Museveni over the site’s proximity to a newly launched oil terminal, top city official has said.

Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Faridah Nakabugo on Tuesday confirmed that the authority will continue transporting waste to Buyala until the central government presents a clear, sustainable alternative.

‘Buyala landfill has not been in existence for even three years as a dumping site and it is not that it has reached full capacity. If the government is prioritising the oil sector over the sanitation of the people, then it needs to secure a new place,’ Ms Nakabugo said.

She noted that KCCA lacks the financial resources to acquire another location after sinking substantial public funds into purchasing and preparing the Buyala site for waste management following the tragic collapse of the Kiteezi landfill.

‘As KCCA, we don’t have a budget to purchase a new place because we had just organised that landfill and seen that it can be modified to add value to the rubbish so that we don’t get another Kiteezi,’ she said.

Ms Nakabugo emphasised that the city’s ongoing waste crisis leaves KCCA with little choice but to use the Mpigi facility.

‘Kampala’s biggest problem is still the garbage crisis all over the place. Until we get that resolution plan from the government, we shall keep taking rubbish there because a lot of taxpayers’ money was used to secure that land,’ she added, reiterating that no formal proposals or directives have been issued to the political leadership.

Her remarks follow growing friction between the city’s waste management plans and national infrastructure projects. Last week, President Museveni flagged off the construction of the 320-million-litre Kampala Storage Terminal-a project meant to boost Uganda’s national fuel storage capacity to 360 million litres-while questioning the wisdom of having an open dumpsite situated close to the high-value energy installation.

Speaking in a separate interview, KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Moses Kigenyi acknowledged the environmental and safety risks involved, noting that measures are already being taken to mitigate hazards at the site.

He explained that technical teams are applying layers of murram and compacting the waste to manage decomposition heat, reduce environmental impacts, and maximize space. However, Mr Kigenyi conceded that the status quo is unsustainable given the site’s proximity to the fuel infrastructure.

‘We cannot continue the way we have been doing things. It is dangerous to be near the oil terminal facility,’ Mr Kigenyi said.

To address the threat, Mr Kigenyi revealed that KCCA has initiated a procurement process to transition from traditional dumping to a modern, waste-to-value processing facility.

‘We are looking at waste-to-value,’ he said, explaining that the authority is evaluating developers with technologies capable of converting refuse into usable products such as organic manure, recycled plastics, and paper.

According to Mr Kigenyi, the proposed modern facility-which would be the first of its kind in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area-is projected to be fully operational within two years on the same land in Buyala.

‘In about two years, we are sure that we’ll have not a landfill, not a dumpsite, but a waste-management facility, which can live side by side with the terminal,’ he confirmed.

KCCA acquired the 230-acre property in Buyala, Mpigi District, on February 14, 2025, at a rate of approximately Shs 70 million per acre, totaling nearly Shs 16 billion. The acquisition was executed as an emergency intervention to handle the capital’s daily waste burden following the catastrophic failure of the Kiteezi landfill.

Until the planned conversion technology is procured and installed, Mr Kigenyi affirmed that garbage from Kampala will continue to be deposited at Buyala.

Residents decry Bududa’s poor maternity care system

For several women in Bududa District, the journey into motherhood is marked by uncertainties and tragedies allegedly caused by negligence by health workers, among other reasons.

Two weeks ago, 34-year-old Sandra Khabuya, who was pregnant, died at Bududa General Hospital reportedly due to negligence by health workers. On the fateful day, she had reportedly arrived at the facility at around 10am on a Sunday with pregnancy-related complications.

The deceased was a resident of Namarare Village and a secretary in the Trade Department of Bududa District Local Government.

Her sister, Ms Sylvia Namome, said Khabuya was examined by a doctor on duty and given medication. The doctor later left.

‘We struggled to secure further attention from health workers in vain as her condition deteriorated. By about 4pm, she started to cry for help. She later began vomiting and bleeding heavily, and complained of severe pain, but there was no one to attend to her,’ Ms Namome told the Monitor on September 9 at the facility.

In a September 10 letter, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Max Martin Mukula said six hospital staff had been ordered to make a statement at the police over Khabuya’s death.

The decision was made during a District Security Committee meeting chaired by Bududa resident district commissioner (RDC) Juliet Solome Namara.

‘I have received a letter from the Criminal Investigations Directorate of Bududa Police Station requesting me to inform you to report to police on the above-referenced matter,’ the letter signed by the CAO, reads.

Elgon Regional Police spokesperson Rogers Taitika confirmed that investigations into the death of Khabuya at the hospital are ongoing.

Khabuya’s sister said she pleaded to be taken to the theatre or transferred to another facility but in vain.

‘We kept asking for help, but no one seemed to be listening. It was heartbreaking to watch my sister suffer, and the health workers did nothing just because we didn’t have money,’ Ms Namome said.

However, Dr Sylvia Ntegeka, the medical superintendent of Bududa hospital, said the deceased arrived after she had already lost a lot of blood.

‘The health workers attended to her, but her condition continued to deteriorate,’ she said.

The conflicting accounts underline the difficulty of establishing what happened in individual cases, but some local leaders said Khabuya’s death was not an isolated case.

Other cases of maternal deaths

In May, the death of 31-year-old Jennifer Nasaka at the hospital also triggered a police investigation after her family and local leaders alleged that treatment had been delayed and that relatives had been asked to obtain medicines and make payments.

Nasaka, from Nalwanza Sub-county, had reportedly spent three days at the hospital before she died during childbirth.

Her mother, Ms Lornah Matuka, said medics asked Nasaka’s relatives to buy drugs before they could attend to her.

‘We were asked to buy medicine, and at one point, I even left her phone as collateral [security],’ she said.

For Ms Christine Nandala, the birth of her first child was supposed to mark the beginning of motherhood two years ago, but it became a memory to carry for the rest of her life.

Ms Nandala alleged that she lost her first-born baby due to negligence of the health workers at Bududa hospital.

In 2024, Aidah Bisikwa, a pregnant woman, died at the hospital because of pregnancy complications. Her attendant, Ms Margret Kakayi, alleged that health workers were unkind and harsh in the way they handled the patient and believed the ill treatment she received may have contributed to her death.

RDC Namara said the implicated health workers and administrators will remain out of office until investigations establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of pregnant mothers and/or newborns and whether failures in service delivery contributed to them.

‘We want to improve service delivery. We have learnt that doctors are giving greater attention to patients in the private wing because they pay for services, affecting the patients in the general wards,’ she said.

Mr James Wabuteya, the chairperson of Nabewo B Village, called for enhanced supervision at the hospital.

Bududa hospital’s long history also reflects persistent challenges. In 2021, health workers reported problems with a sewage system that had reportedly gone decades without rehabilitation, while earlier reports highlighted water-supply challenges.

The State House Health Monitoring Team that spent time in the district recently also highlighted concerns about increasing referrals and deaths among expectant mothers.

The team also identified poor infrastructure, inadequate staff accommodation, low staffing levels, and a shortage of specialists among other challenges affecting service delivery.

Sources also told this publication that blood shortage remains a persistent challenge in the hospital. During the 2025/2026 financial year, Bududa District requested 6,000 units of blood from the Mbale Regional Blood Bank, but the facility reportedly received only 427 units.

More than 150 patients were reportedly referred to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital because of inadequate blood supplies.

However, Dr Ahmed Bumba, the principal medical officer-in-charge of the Mbale Regional Blood Bank, said blood is supplied to health facilities in the region based on requests and that Bududa hospital receives blood in sufficient quantities and within the required time.

Bududa District Health Officer Dr Alex Kakala Mushiso said the relevant officials are working towards reorganising the hospital’s management to strengthen supervision and improve service delivery.

Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the senior communications officer at the Ministry of Health, said investigations into the concerns raised at Bududa General Hospital are ongoing.

‘The ministry would be in a better position to comment on the findings and any action to be taken once the investigations are concluded,’ he said.

The Ministry of Health recorded more than 1,000 facility-based maternal deaths during the 2024/2025 financial year. Obstetric haemorrhage accounted for the largest share of reviewed maternal deaths, followed by hypertensive disorders.

In the Bugisu Sub-region, 78 maternal deaths were recorded among more than 100,000 facility deliveries during the same period.

About Bududa hospital

Bududa General Hospital is one of the longstanding public hospitals serving Bugisu Sub-region. Records place its establishment in the 1960s, with some sources giving 1966 and others 1969.

The hospital is a government-owned general hospital located in Bududa District, about 38 kilometres southeast of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. It serves residents of Bududa and functions as a referral point for patients from lower-level health facilities in the district.

Its current official capacity is 100 beds, according to the ministry’s health-sector performance data.

FROM JINGLE TO SOUNDSTRIP | My friendship with Tony Maghirang

The man who wrote in morsels had the most to say.

Antonio ‘Tony’ Maghirang was a music writer, critic, and fan. He was and is synonymous with the late great Jingle magazine. A journalistic institution in the music scene who reviewed multiple albums in the space of a few paragraphs. He was succinct, didn’t mince his words, and was never going to sugarcoat anything.

And that is how we met. Or clashed, if you will.

In 1982, Tony reviewed Canadian progressive rock band Rush’s Moving Pictures album. He trashed it and even compared it to a local band’s release (that was new wave and not even prog rock).

I walked over to the Jingle offices along P. Tuazon and 7th Avenue (I lived around the corner along 8th Avenue) and handed over a letter to the editors for their Bongga and Boquilla section for letter writers.

I expressed my protest and ended the missive by telling Tony to ‘clean your ears with hydrochloric acid.’

I thought that was the end of that, except that letter spawned a life of its own, with some other readers siding with me and some not in agreement. And it went on for a while in the letter column.

Thirty-six years later, in 2018, I was invited by my cousin Bing Pascual to cover a Valentine’s show she was producing featuring Lolita Carbon and Noli Aurillo at the Manila Hotel.

One of the media guests was Tony Maghirang, and he sat right before me. Tony turned and asked, ‘Rick, galit ka pa sa akin?’

I said no. Heavens, I was a 15-year-old kid in 1982. I wouldn’t even write such a thing today. I apologized, and Tony accepted. We became friends and worked together on a couple of projects where I invited him to cover Space-Ta, Kiss the Bride, Ebe Dancel, Wolfgang, and other launches.

During the Ebe Dancel EP launch, Tony made it in spite of battling gout.

‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ he told me as he sauntered in with a limp.

But Tony was a trouper. Even decades after Jingle, he still stayed relevant, even with all the new jack writers coming in, and that says something about who he is as a writer and a person.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, when the Jingle documentary Jingle Lang ang Pahina became available for online viewing for a limited time, that letter I wrote was recounted by Tony, and he named me. This was shot in 2012, six years before we renewed acquaintances.

I viewed it with my equal parts shame and glee, and no offense was taken. I did, after all, write it.

A few years ago, Ian Urrutia invited Tony and me to be panelists for a special screening of the Jingle documentary along with its director, Chuck Escasa. And what a thrill it was sitting next to Tony discussing those good old days, aside from hearing Chuck’s love letter to the pioneering music magazine and guest Jing Garcia’s cool anecdotes.

We had lunch afterwards in a nearby restaurant in Poblacion, Makati, where he regaled me with tales from his Jingle days.

It was a pleasure working with Tony in the final eight years of his life. We became colleagues in the Soundstrip section of Business Mirror and Rolling Stone Philippines. We would sit next to each other during events, and I would frequently invite him to my events, and he vice versa. He even supported my underground record label, Eikon Records, reviewed some (thankfully, he didn’t trash them), and even purchased a Keltscross T-shirt that I made.

We started as ‘not really friends’ but ended up as really good friends. When you work with an institution like Tony Maghirang, you soak up as much knowledge and wisdom from them.

I sit stunned at his passing. I know all lives come to an end. But as I said, he is an institution. The man might not be here anymore, but the memories, his words, his articles, and his presence surely enriched Filipino music history.

Davao remains Mindanao’s property powerhouse

First of two parts

The softer condominium demand in Metro Manila is putting the spotlight on key property corridors outside of the capital region. Outside of key hubs in Luzon such as Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas, thriving localities in Visayas and Mindanao are becoming key highlights of property discussion.

Colliers Philippines believes that the entry of national players in Davao has paved the way for substantial development of integrated communities. The National Government has lined up vital infrastructure projects in the city which, once completed, should further solidify the city’s attractiveness as a residential investment hub in Mindanao. These include the Davao Coastal Road, Davao City Bypass and the expansion and modernization of Davao Airport. Hence, developers should continue with their landbanking initiatives and capitalize on the city’s improving infrastructure backbone.

The completion of these projects should further stoke interest in Davao’s office and residential markets.

Competitive office market

As of end-Q2 2026, overall vacancy in Davao reached 3%, one of the lowest vacancies outside the capital region due to sustained demand from outsourcing companies. With this level of vacancy, Davao is the only office market hub outside Metro Manila that enjoys the landlord’s market status.

Among the notable deals recorded in Davao from 2024 to H1 2026 were spaces taken up by Teleperformance, Alorica, Optum, VA Platinum, Ibex and CubeWork. These firms occupied spaces in Matina IT Park (Plaza de Luisa Development Inc.), Robinsons Cybergate Delta 1 (Robinsons Land) and The Uprise (Felcris Hotels and Resorts). Other outsourcing firms that have established their presence in the province are OP360, Concentrix, Wipro, iQor, Cloudstaff, Sutherland, and VXI.

As of end-H1 2026, Davao’s office stock reached 378,100 sq meters (4.1 million sq feet). From 2027 to 2029, Colliers sees the completion of new office towers in Davao city by Megaworld, Robinsons Land, Megaworld, and SM. Among the office towers likely to be completed during the period include SM Lanang BPO Towers 1 and 2, One Republic Plaza and Robinsons Cybergate Victoria Tower 1.Colliers Philippines believes that the increasing office transactions in Davao should partly support residential demand in the locale. The entry of national developers such as SMDC, Megaworld, Ayala Land, Robinsons Land, Filinvest Land, and Cebu Landmasters (CLI) also strengthened Davao’s position as a property investment destination in the VisMin region.

Solid residential take up

Residential developers should further test the market and even diversify and look at the viability of offering more resort and/or leisure-themed projects. In our view, Davao’s competitiveness and stature as an outsourcing hub in Mindanao, backed by robust regional economic growth, should retain the city’s attractiveness for more residential projects.

What’s interesting is that Davao is also being positioned as one of the major meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) hubs in the country. This should enable the city to attract more local and foreign hotel operators beyond 2026. In our view, more international visitors should potentially raise demand for vertical housing in the city and hep lift take up for leisure-themed residential projects.

Davao City is deemed a residential hotspot in Mindanao and is a preferred site of both end-users and investors. The sustained demand over the past few years encouraged national and homegrown property firms to invest in the city.

Colliers Philippines believes that Davao City has become a viable residential hub in Mindanao due to its competitiveness. Former Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s election as Philippine president in 2016 further raised interest in the city and has since transformed Davao into a preferred residential haven even by those from nearby cities and provinces. The 2024 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index ranked Davao as the seventh most competitive in the country based on economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency. To be continued