Of deception behind Uganda’s impressive economic growth figures

Popular messaging app, WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has started aggressive advertising. Graphic and video notifications inundate status updates of users. If one clicks on them, they are sent straight to the account of the WhatsApp digital marketers.

There, products and services are explained in a great detail and then a message asking the user what exactly they want, pops up. That way their (advertisers) contacts are automatically included in the phone book of the users. The readiness of the advertisers to do business is upfront.

The interesting bit is that most of the demand generators or advertisers are Chinese companies marketing Chinese manufactured products. The irony is that since 2017 WhatsApp is blocked in mainland China (just like Facebook is banned in Uganda since 2021.) But WhatsApp works in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan where many Chinese businesses have offices.

The products range from light to heavy industrial machinery, tools, electric vehicles, construction materials, pharmaceuticals, household appliances, electronics plus electrical materials, mobile phones and computers, human and animal feeds, agricultural implements, sports equipment, textiles, cosmetics and beauty products to mention but a few.

In contrast, most of the Ugandan advertisers market housing, schools, restaurants, food and drink, mobile phone services, entertainment events, imported goods from China for sale, gospel and religious crusades, political rallies, etc. In a nutshell, it is more about the production of primary, low value-added products, consumption and fun. This is how it has been since independence, 64 years ago.

Uganda is currently in a very uncomfortable financial position. The national currency, the Shilling, is at its lowest in the last 33 years when valued against the United States Dollar. The exchange rate is in the neighbourhood of 4,400 for a dollar. Fuel prices per litre have moved to about Shs6,800 for petrol and Shs7,100 for diesel. This has affected overall food and essential household prices.

Those in charge of our economy say it is going to be like this or even get worse before it gets better.

All manner of arguments have been proffered including the war between USA/Israel and Iran plus the concomitant closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The war between Russia and Ukraine, the Protection of Sovereignty Act 2026, which some claim restricts inflows of foreign currency and drop in coffee prices on the world market.

It is said that if you don’t know when the rain started beating you, you will never know when you started getting wet.

Uganda’s economic problems did not start recently. We have had major underlaying challenges which unfortunately are covered up by arguments of impressive economic growth figure which average about six percent per annum.

Three areas besides low production and productivity that are never brought into the conversations with the seriousness they deserve are national debt plus leakages from inefficiency and corruption.

Almost everything we are consuming like the goods advertised by the Chinese on WhatsApp status are imported. Increasingly we are including a lot of importation of food despite the fertile soils and majority of people being employed in agriculture. Many of our markets have carrots, onions, tomatoes and Irish potatoes plus fruits imported from Kenya and South Africa.

So many of our people are extremely poor and live on the periphery of the economy. They are not into value addition and thus are not bound to earn significantly to create effective and reliable demand to support the economy. 2023/2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics National Household Survey Report put at least 16.1 percent of Ugandans, or about 7.2 million people living below the absolute poverty line of $1 per day.

You can’t expect significant tax revenues from unproductive people. Yet the government must provide services like health, education, and roads for them.

The solution creates a problem. We must borrow significant amounts to support the budget. As of June 2025, Uganda’s foreign debt stood at $16.30 billion, which is about Shs63.19 trillion. Total public debt stood at around $37.12 billion, or approximately Shs143.92 trillion. This burden sits on a 2026/2027 national budget of about $23.5 billion or Shs84.39 trillion.

This debt does not come cheap. The largest and fastest-growing expenditure in Uganda’s budget is debt servicing. In the 2026/2027 budget, almost 40 percent of the budget which is Shs33.4 trillion is allocated for debt servicing which is mainly payment of interest. This is money that would go towards production.

Yet a significant amount of Uganda’s national expenditure, including from borrowed funds, is lost in corruption. The IGG puts it at about Shs10 trillion per year. Or you have shoddy work on infrastructure like roads and dams, meaning there is no value for money.

Uganda has spent about Shs1.5 trillion on the proposed 264-bed Lubowa Specialised Hospital in the last five years.

The rest is channelled towards things other than serious economic production. The foreign travels. The endless national functions. All the pledges and donations to Artistes and other hangers for the sake of political patronage, fall in this category.

The Ugandan economy is not going to reap from where it has not sown. If we are focusing on waste, consumption and corruption, the economy may grow but the growth will be deceptive. This is because even money diverted from roads, to private property like apartments is part of the national growth figure.

The priorities have to be clear and intentional. Countries like China that we call upon to invest in Uganda prioritise education and training plus transfer and acquisition of the latest technology. They may even steal it if need be. This is how they build capacity with skills to match high level production and development of superior technology. They don’t just make people happy by giving them free money.

That is how China managed to move about 850 million people out of extreme poverty in the last four decades. By coincidence, this is the same time the ruling NRM government has been in power, chasing the dream of transforming Uganda into a developed country.

Kagoro’s Shs3 billion enterprise that started under a tree shade

At 75 years of age, Engineer Asiimwe Kagoro’s story is less about a dramatic leap than the compounding value of careful decisions: leaving salaried employment to take the risk of starting small, saving consistently and choosing partners he believed would endure.

For anyone familiar with the Entebbe municipality business community, ConstraWorks workshop is a well-known enterprise and Mzee Kagoro is a respected name.

Located along the First Street, Plot 2-4 in Entebbe, the scale of the business is visible in timber, machinery and the buildings that occupy the site. The timber yard alone holds stock valued at about Shs500 million.

Across the workshop stand roughly 25 modern machines used to make doors, frames, kitchen units, wardrobes, floorboards and other fittings for hotels, apartments and homes.

Yet the enterprise did not begin with machinery or warehouses. The story began in 1990 beneath a jackfruit tree shade, where a small makeshift workshop offered the first home for a wood workshop that Mzee Kagoro was building from scratch.

Currently, ConstraWorks has grown into a specialised construction-engineering and wood-processing business whose structures and capital value stand at about Shs3 billion.

Its products have reached Tanzania, Kenya and South Sudan, while customers have carried out its work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its warehouses also store medicines for National Medical Stores for distribution around Uganda.

The numbers tell a story of growth. The more revealing story, however, lies in how that growth happened: through professional training, accumulated savings, cautious borrowing and the steady reinvestment of proceeds from one line of work into another.

‘I always thought I should be an employer, not an employee.’

The engineer who chose to build

Kagoro trained as an engineer at the University of Leeds on a British scholarship and later completed a Master’s Degree in Engineering at the University of Birmingham in 1984.

He returned to Uganda in 1985 and joined the Ministry of Local Government, which posted him to Entebbe to support engineering work there. Roads were his specialty, although his work also covered water projects.

Four years later, he left the civil service. The move was driven by an ambition that had followed him through formal employment: he wanted, eventually, to create work for others rather than remain an employee himself.

He joined JPG, a consulting firm, where the pay allowed him to save a substantial share of his earnings.

Those savings became part of the foundation for ConstraWorks, which he had registered in 1988. He acquired land soon afterwards and, by 1990, the workshop under the jackfruit tree was in operation.

Woodwork was not an obvious extension of road engineering. Kagoro saw it as a practical business he could continue building long after formal employment.

At the time, he says, there were few artisans in the trade. He also wanted work that would continue to give structure and purpose to his days, rather than a retirement spent at home reading newspapers.

Growth, one reinvestment

ConstraWorks did not immediately rely on woodwork alone. The company undertook building and road construction, then channeled the proceeds into expanding the workshop. Each contract helped finance the next stage of the enterprise.

Kagoro combined his savings with his National Social Security Fund money to put up the company’s first warehouse. He had intended to use it for manufacturing, but it was rented almost immediately.

Rather than treat the rental income as personal profit, he deposited it into the company’s account and reinvested it in the business.

By 2010, he had phased out road and building construction and concentrated on wood. ConstraWorks had also done metalwork, but concerns about workshop fires persuaded him to stop welding and outsourcing it. The decision narrowed the company’s focus to the work Kagoro believed it could do best.

His approach to finance was similarly measured. In 2013, Stanbic provided a Shs50 million standby facility, principally to allow the company to buy timber when required.

Kagoro repaid it and says he has not needed another borrowing facility since. Much of the business’s expansion, he says, came from savings accumulated through the bank.

‘When I asked for money, the bank listened and gave me a little, because a chicken picks what it can swallow.’

A bank he believed would stay

Kagoro’s relationship with Stanbic began in 1992, two years after the workshop opened. He went to the bank’s Kampala Road branch, then its only branch in Uganda, to open accounts for himself and the young company.

Uganda’s banking industry was fragile. Banks had closed, and customers had reason to scrutinise where they placed their money. Kagoro wanted more than an account.

He wanted facilities when the business needed them, an institution willing to listen, and the confidence that his bank would remain in Uganda for the long term.

‘I did my due diligence and weighed the risks,’ he says. ‘I decided to bank my trust, my money and my ventures with Stanbic, and it worked.’

That relationship became particularly important when ConstraWorks was competing for construction assignments. Tendering required bid securities; winning work required performance bonds. Kagoro says Stanbic often processed the necessary instruments within a day.

Only two months before this interview, the bank issued another guarantee connected to the company’s work with National Medical Stores.

The regular flow of rental income and business earnings through the company’s accounts also helped establish its standing with the bank. Over time, the relationship expanded to include fixed deposits, a corporate relationship manager and periodic visits to the workshop.

Kagoro values candour as much as access to finance: after examining the business, he says, the bank tells him plainly what is likely to work and what is not.

Two journeys through change

The relationship has also given Kagoro a front-row view of how banking has changed. In the early years, transactions were manual. Customers queued, filled out paper forms or signed cheques, and visited a branch to withdraw money.

Today, he transacts through ATMs, online and mobile channels, including FlexiPay and the agent-banking network. He also points to unit trusts as another avenue for saving and earning a return.

Stanbic’s acquisition of Uganda Commercial Bank in 2002 deepened his confidence. By then, Kagoro held several personal and company accounts. To him, the transaction signaled that the bank was putting down roots and intended to remain part of Uganda’s economic life.

His own company was doing the same. ConstraWorks employs people whose wages support households, serves private and public-sector customers, and pays taxes. Kagoro sees this as the practical contribution of enterprise: a business grows, but its value also travels through salaries, suppliers, customers and public revenue.

That perspective explains why his story fits Stanbic’s 35-year milestone. It is not simply an account of a loyal customer or a long banking relationship. It is a portrait of two institutions growing through the same era: a Ugandan enterprise built patiently from the ground up, and a bank that provided the accounts, guarantees, facilities and advice that helped it compete.

Built to endure

At nearly 80, Kagoro’s pride remains anchored in the physical evidence of persistence. The business that began under a jackfruit tree now has warehouses, machinery, valuable timber stock and customers beyond Uganda’s borders.

Its estimated Shs3 billion in structures and capital was not assembled through a single transformative loan or a sudden breakthrough, but through more than three decades of work and disciplined reinvestment.

He describes the qualities he values in Stanbic in three words: reliability, flexibility and trustworthiness. In an industry where institutions have opened, closed, been sold or changed names, continuity has carried real economic value for him.

His own journey offers a quieter lesson about what sustainable growth can look like: begin with what is available, save before expanding, borrow within the business’s capacity, and build relationships sturdy enough to outlast difficult cycles.

The jackfruit tree is where the story began. What stands in Entebbe is the result of everything that came after: one careful decision, one contract and one reinvestment at a time.

One dead, 25 rescued after building collapses at Brother Ronnie’s church

One person has been confirmed dead and 25 others rescued after a building under construction collapsed on Monday, October 26 2026, at Holy City Church, Brother Ronnie Makabai’s Ministries, located in Bwerenga, Kawuku, Wakiso District.

The deceased has been identified as Francis Lukwago, a builder who was working at the site when the disaster struck.

Emergency teams rushed to the scene shortly after the structural collapse and managed to pull at least 25 adult males alive from beneath the heavy debris. The injured survivors were immediately rushed to health facilities, where they are currently receiving treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital and Entebbe Grade B Hospital.

A survivor who was rescued from the rubble recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the collapse, describing how a quick decision saved his life. “We heard a loud sound and everyone started running. I managed to hide under a metallic stage, and that is what saved me,” the survivor shared.

Search and rescue operations remain active at the site as emergency response personnel work around the clock to determine if any more people or remains remain trapped underneath the rubble.

Security around the premises has been significantly heightened, with heavy military and police personnel deployed at the main entrance of Holy City Entebbe, a popular church owned by Pastor Brother Ronnie Makabai. Authorities have cordoned off the site as active emergency operations and preliminary inquiries get underway.

Addressing reporters at the site, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Rachael Kawala confirmed that police have secured the area as a active crime scene to facilitate rescue efforts and allow investigators to determine the exact cause of the structural failure.

“This is someone’s premises. It’s a crime scene. Yes, it’s being contained. And for smooth running of works, so please be patient and be calm and let our teams work to see that we rescue,” Ms Kawala told journalists at the scene.

Police and structural engineers have commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident, though authorities are yet to release an official report regarding the cause of the collapse. Rescue efforts are expected to continue throughout the day.

ASEAN season again

It is ASEAN season once again in Cebu, but on a smaller scale. We are set to host the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, the highest form of defense within the region. It aims to promote peace, stability, and security through dialogue and practical cooperation. It will be ironic for countries to unite despite the turmoil among its members. Yet again, we are on our toes preparing for our visitors to arrive. From deploying over 2,000 police and more, we are ready.

Remember that Thailand and Cambodia have yet to resolve their land dispute over ancient borders. Thailand and Myanmar also share a similar issue, with the latter under military rule. Many of its citizens live in exile in other ASEAN countries just so they can escape the lives they have been forced to live. I have been privileged to meet a few who are eager to start again, free from the chaos in their country. Of course, they will always call it home, but until there is peace, they would rather live overseas.

I find the whole structure a bit funny, yet equally important, as the region continues to grapple with security issues. ASEAN has extended its dialogue to eight other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. East Asian countries like China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are also on board, but everyone seems mum about the West Philippine Sea and other maritime security concerns. A hot topic will be cybersecurity because the region is also known for its scam hubs and troll farms. In fact, many entrapment operations have leads in Southeast Asian countries, masking opportunities for illegal detention. They feast on the hard work of others at the expense of human lives.

It is also high time for us to reflect on whether we have done our best for our country in terms of defense and security. We are so busy trying to ward off foreign elements, especially in our seas, that we forget that our real enemies are ourselves. This country is eating itself from the inside, with its own top officials bickering against each other. We have a vice president who is on trial right now over the alleged misuse of public funds, which could have gone a long way if only we knew where all the money went. Many are charged with plunder, sharing the same common denominator of corruption, something we should have safeguarded against a long time ago.

Again, I enjoy the benefits we get from ASEAN, but the meetings seem to be heading towards another cliffhanger. It seems like the notes are already being prepared for next year’s host. I only hope that beyond the tourism and economic drivers it brings, we also make the most of it. If only the region worked as one and acted swiftly, I’m sure we could address our issues without creating a fuss for the whole world to see. I wonder what’s in store in the days to come.

Heads up, Engenes! First 100 vivo V80 pre-orders get access to Enhypen event

The first 100 customers who successfully pre-order the vivo V80 through vivo Philippines e-store will secure a VVIP ticket to the vivo V80 Lights Up Christmas with ENHYPEN Jungwon, Jake and Sunghoon on November 12, 2026, at SM Mall of Asia Hall, giving fans a chance to see them in person.

To qualify, customers must place their pre-orders exclusively through shop.vivo.com starting October 26, 2026 until November 8, 2026, and pay a non-refundable P1,000 down payment. The offer is limited to the first 100 successful checkouts, with one VVIP ticket allocated per qualifying pre-order.

Customers must pay the remaining balance in full by November 9, 2026. Failure to complete payment by 11:59 pm that day will result in the forfeiture of the reserved ticket, while the initial down payment remains non-refundable.

Following full payment, vivo Philippines will contact qualified customers to coordinate ticket arrangements and verify their identities.

Customers must present a valid ID during verification and bring the same ID and the full order number from their online transaction to the event.

Tickets are strictly non-transferable and tied to the original buyer’s registered ID and order number. Before the event with ENHYPEN Jungwon, Jake and Sunghoon, vivo Philippines will officially launch the vivo V80 on October 30 at 6 p.m.

The launch will be livestreamed on the official vivo Philippines Facebook page, allowing fans to tune in online and learn more about the vivo V80.

Interested viewers can click ‘Going’ on the event page to receive updates and avoid missing the livestream.

From POGOs to scam hubs

The Philippines may have banned offshore gaming, but it doesn’t mean that the people behind it, especially the Chinese, are no longer around.

Perhaps this is one negative result of the ban – an iteration, or rebirth, that was a lot worse.

No less than Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan confirmed this during a recent meeting with executives and editors of The STAR, led by our president and CEO Miguel Belmonte.

The meeting was not about POGOs, but I took the chance to ask Ambassador Jing if there were any developments related to the ban on POGOs, which took effect in late 2024.

He said that some POGO operations still exist, but these have morphed into scam hubs. The Chinese embassy, he said, continuously works with local authorities to crack down on perpetrators of these scams and make sure they are brought to justice.

It’s not just Chinese nationals who are involved. There are other nationalities from Asia.

Just recently, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) dismantled an alleged online scam hub in Olongapo City, securing around 200 Vietnamese nationals.

Authorities seized computers, mobile phones and documents used in the operation.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the raid was just one step.

Investigators would also trace the money moving through the operation and pursue those who provided bank accounts and e-wallets for the transactions.

The NBI, according to The STAR’s report, is working with the Anti-Money Laundering Council and concerned financial institutions to identify and freeze accounts allegedly used by the hub. The investigation into its operators and foreign links is ongoing.

Visa-free entry privileges

Unfortunately, the scams persist partly because some of these foreign nationals are able to enter the Philippines visa-free.

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, for instance, said that some of the foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals apprehended in the Zamboanga Sibugay raid earlier this month, entered the Philippines under a visa-free arrangement.

‘We cannot deny that this is a privilege we granted to Chinese tourists and that, to some extent, it has been exploited, contributing to this problem,’ Ty said during a recent media briefing.

Revoke the privilege

The Department of Foreign Affairs restored visa-free access for Chinese visitors on Jan. 16, allowing visits of up to 14 days strictly for tourism or business purposes.

Perhaps it’s time to revoke this privilege because it is being abused by unscrupulous Chinese nationals.

The arrangement is subject to review before it expires a year after its implementation, according to news reports.

These Chinese nationals recruited to work in scam hubs target fellow Chinese citizens because it is easier for them, given that there is no language barrier, Ambassador Jing said.

He noted that, indeed, the visa-free privilege is being used by the scam perpetrators.

Some countries in Southeast Asia have been cracking down on scammers, which is why some of them are moving to the Philippines, taking advantage of the visa-free option, he said.

Some scams are small-time operations, while others are sophisticated, but big or small, they usually operate in connivance with local partners.

The scams are varied – from credit card fraud and SMS scams to romance scams – targeting not just Filipinos but other nationalities.

This is the reason, Ambassador Jing said, why the embassy is closely working with local authorities – to really put an end to such scam operations.

Digital fraud, money mules

A few days ago, I was among the panelists in a fireside chat about scams organized by tech company IDfy Philippines as it launched ‘Chaos in Cavite,’ a graphic novel aimed to educate the public and the financial industry on the mechanics of money mule networks and digital fraud.

The chat discussed how these scams succeed with the help of money mules, or those who move the money stolen through these fraudulent activities.

In a separate paper released with CIBI Information Inc. titled ‘Mule hunting: Are we chasing ghosts?’ IDfy said the Philippines risks losing up to P603 billion annually, or nearly three percent of gross domestic product, to fraud perpetrated through mule accounts.

Crucially, with fewer than two percent of cybercrimes formally reported, mule accounts frequently remain active and reusable for months, IDfy said.

Unless we crack down on these operations and toughen up against the perpetrators and their Filipino partners in crime, Manila may end up being the region’s scam capital.

From POGOs to PIGOs

Aside from scams, another concern that has emerged in the wake of the POGO ban is the so-called Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs), which offer online gaming targeting players in the Philippines.

It’s ironic, said property consultant David Leechiu, that while the Philippines banned POGOs – which target overseas players – it allows PIGOs, which have, unfortunately, hooked Filipinos on online gambling.

Leechiu was among those who strongly supported POGOs because of the industry’s ripple effect on the economy – from boosting office and residential space to supporting consumer spending.

PIGOs have no such similar trickle-down effect on the economy.

Through these PIGOs, industry sources said, Filipinos, especially the poorest of the poor, have gotten hooked on online gambling, betting whatever earnings they make in a day, including the occasional ayuda.

Sen. Chiz Escudero said last year that this new industry needs to be scrutinized, saying that online bets have reached a trillion.

We banned POGOs supposedly because of the social cost. But their successors are proving to be worse.

Masters

In 1999, CITEM – the Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions, the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry – set up Movement8, a design collective made up of 10 – not 8 – of the country’s best designers and manufacturers in the furnishings and accessories industry. Spearheaded by then CITEM executive director, the late Eli Pinto Mansor, and Budji Layug, Movement8 included Budji, Kenneth Cobonpue, Carlo Cordaro, Al Coronan, Tony Gonzales, Milo Naval, Ann Pamintuan, Tes Pasola, Luisa Robinson and Renato Vidal.

Collectively and individually they took the international design world by storm, showing the world that the Philippines had its own design identity – original, sophisticated – and high-end manufacturing capability and was not just an anonymous backroom producer of items that carried other’s brand names. They wowed buyers at prestigious trade shows in Milan, Paris, Cologne and New York, winning raves and awards in the process. They set the standards for Manila FAME, making it a major stop in the international trade show circuit. ‘Made in the Philippines’ became a badge of distinction.

At the recent Manila FAME I was delighted to run into three of these designers – Tony Gonzales, Milo Naval and Kenneth Cobonpue – not just to renew ties but to see what exciting things they have been up to. They are no longer just exhibitors but are now centerpieces of the show.

Within the Design Commune, an area curtained by one wall of laminated magazine pages and another of overlapping insect wings (they made me think of gamu-gamu), Tony Gonzales created a space wherein you speak in hushed tones so as not to disturb the light. He put together five emerging designers with 20 manufacturers and developed 90 home decor and lighting pieces. Aside from the walls, Tony did a long wood table with the lyrics of ‘It’s a Wonderful World’ – a very apt choice – on the surface, each letter painstakingly cut from wood.

He exhorts the young designers to be aware of AI and the challenges it poses, but to ‘stay as human as possible… to design with soul, with passion…’ Tony, together with Tes Pasola (who passed away in 2024 before a major retrospective of her work), has for years been giving life – rather, multiple lives – to paper: handmade pieces that are more artwork than accessories and lighting fixtures.

The elegant restraint – or restrained elegance – of Milo Naval’s work leaves no room to doubt the artistry and craftsmanship that go into each piece. At the recent Home at FAME setup, Milo got together manufacturers from Cebu, Manila and Pampanga in an open, almost sparse setting, putting the full focus on the pieces. However, the eye cannot help but be drawn to one setting – a really long wood table supported by cylinders of laminated bamboo that seemed to be casually thrown together. Two tall poles of similar bamboo stood at both ends, each with a seat attached and could hold a canopy over the table. A bright red-orange banquette puts an exclamation point to this setting, by Milo’s OMO Furniture.

Milo has always worked with and for Nature. A separate setup celebrates mangroves, inviting you to ‘step inside the installation and enter the labyrinth of the bakawan (mangroves) – the silent, ancient guardians of the Philippine coastlines.’ He issues a call: ‘Despite protecting us, the Philippines has lost over half of its mangrove cover to commercial development and deforestation. To walk among these structures is to move through a living shield – and a call to action. We must fiercely preserve our remaining forests and aggressively propagate new ones. This immersive journey is a visceral reminder that against the rising tides of a changing climate, our survival is deeply rooted in theirs.’

What else can I say about Kenneth Cobonpue? Since his first Katha award back in 1999, Ken has amassed awards and accolades too numerous to list, from the most prestigious institutions, publications and exhibitions around the world. Since returning from studies in the US and Europe in 1996 and joining the family’s Interior Crafts of the Islands – started by his mother Betty, an award-winning designer herself – Ken has stretched the boundaries of rattan and bamboo, wood and wire and much more, with not just an unerring eye but an understanding of the possibilities of these materials. The Yin and Yang chair (his debut collection in 1998), the Voyage bed (famously purchased by Brad Pitt for son Maddox), the Yoda chair (used by heads of state at the 2015 APEC Summit dinner in Manila), the Chiquita stool (350 rattan dowels – you get a few extra in case one gets lost – give a very playful bounce), the Bloom chair (buyers had insisted it was designed by a Frenchman)… these have become icons of design and functionality, recognized and recognizable worldwide.

And there’s no stopping him: he has expanded his repertoire to luxury pet beds (please don’t tell my dog FJ!), lighting fixtures (how about clouds and acrobats hanging from your ceiling?), whimsical decor items like colorful birds in wire cages (or my favorite little mouse in a teapot) and even a bamboo car! Ken collaborated with Star Wars on a five-piece furniture and decor line called ‘Woven in the Stars’ that includes a Darth Vader chair and a Chewbacca rocking stool.

His showroom at the Grand Hyatt in BGC includes the restaurant Fable, and dining there will feed not just your stomach (don’t miss the lamb tacos) but will fire up your imagination when you browse the array of his creations all in one place.

The most admirable thing about these three masters is how they have been discovering and mentoring young designers through workshops, apprenticeships and college courses. But most valuable are the personal mentorships, where raw ideas are honed and polished under the guidance of the masters and then brought to life.

As Tony says, ‘If we don’t bring up young designers, we’ve failed.’

NBI endorses charges vs VP Sara’s ex-aide

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has endorsed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) possible charges against Jeffrey Tupas, former information officer of Vice President Sara Duterte.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag yesterday said the bureau had completed its investigation report recommending charges of obstruction of justice, cyberlibel and publication of false news against Tupas.

‘He is the one who emerged as a witness. So we are endorsing the report to the DOJ,’ Matibag told reporters.

Tupas, who served as Duterte’s information officer when she was Davao City mayor and later worked at the Office of the Vice President, was summoned by the NBI to answer allegations made by dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.

Tupas did not personally appear at the NBI, but submitted a sworn statement denying the accusations.

Gracioso alleged that he delivered suitcases containing millions of pesos to members of the Duterte family.

He claimed that Tupas received some of the money on behalf of Duterte, based on the instruction of former House speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

Gracioso also claimed to have delivered more than P2 billion to the Vice President.

Duterte and Tupas have denied the allegations.

Tupas said travel records showed that he was abroad during some of the alleged cash deliveries.

Duterte has called Gracioso’s accusations false. Velasco’s camp has also rejected the allegations as baseless.

The NBI earlier said it would verify Gracioso’s accusations and examine supporting evidence.

Matibag said Gracioso may face perjury charges if his allegations are proven false.

Tupas has claimed that NBI agents offered him protective custody amid an alleged threat from the Dutertes.

Matibag denied offering Tupas protection or money in exchange for his testimony.

’Miracle baby’: Grace Lee announces pregnancy at 43

Retired Korean-Filipino host Lee Kyung-hee, better known as Grace Lee, is expecting her first child with husband and fellow entrepreneur Alex Tiu.

Lee announced her pregnancy on Instagram with photos from her baby shower organized by her sister Jin and attended by loved ones.

“Awaiting the arrival of our baby boy. Blessed to be pregnant at 43! Thank you Lord for our miracle baby,” Lee wrote in one post sharing smiles with her spouse.

In a separate post, the former host marked her second anniversary with Tiu. She noted how blessed she was to have “a loving, kind, thoughtful, protective, gentle soulmate.” “Since I got pregnant, you’ve been even more attentive, caring and doting. You were by my side for every doctor’s appointment, may it be ultrasound or lab tests. You hold my hand nowadays like I’m made of fragile glass,” she also said. “Thank you for making it so easy to love you even more today than on this day 2 years ago.”

Among those who left congratulatory messages were Carla Abellana, Marjorie Barretto, Gelli de Belen, Mariel Padilla, Amy Perez, Arci Muñoz, Mariz Umali, and Luchi Cruz-Valdes.

The Korea-born Lee moved to the Philippines as a child, growing up to host on two television networks and co-host “Good Times with Mo” on Magic 89.9.

After halting hosting duties in 2015, Lee put up Glimmer Productions to help distribute Korean films in the Philippines.

MediCard launches new MedGo app to make healthcare simpler, faster and more accessible

MediCard, the healthcare arm of leading life insurer AIA Philippines, has launched MedGo, its newly upgraded digital healthcare platform designed to make healthcare easier to access, navigate and manage for its members.

The launch responds to persistent friction in the country’s overall digital healthcare experience, which include pain points around downtime, login access and performance, while healthcare transactions such as securing Letters of Authorization, finding accredited providers and monitoring reimbursements can require multiple steps.

In fact, the Department of Health has identified slow data retrieval and lengthy transaction processing as persistent healthcare system inefficiencies, while the Asian Development Bank has highlighted delayed reimbursements and complex claims processes as key digital health financing challenges.

MedGo helps address these by simplifying access, approvals and reimbursement tracking through a single, more intuitive and reliable platform.

Through the new MedGo app, members can access their Digital ID, view benefits and coverage, request LOAs, book appointments, access available online consultation services, file and track reimbursements and search for MediCard clinics, doctors, hospitals and other accredited providers.

Face scan is also available for select accounts as a convenient, non-invasive way to access health insights through the app.

‘People don’t think about healthcare as merely a series of digital transactions. They simply want to get an appointment, see a doctor, get tests done or be reimbursed for a service without added complexity,’ Julian Mengual, chief executive officer of MediCard said.

‘That’s how we approached MedGo. We listened closely to member feedback and redesigned the experience around their needs. Beyond introducing new capabilities, we focused on creating a more seamless journey that allows our members to rely on their preferred services that are easier to access, simpler to navigate and more intuitive to use.’

Streamlining access through a future-ready platform

The new MedGo app improves key processes behind the member experience. For applicable automated LOA submissions, response times have been improved to under three seconds.

Reimbursements have been streamlined through automated case creation and better tracking, enabling members to submit claims, upload required documents and monitor the status of their requests with greater visibility.

The platform was developed to support AIA and MediCard’s integrated health strategy, with greater scalability, flexibility and reliability through the app, as well as easier integration with third-party partners. It also provides a stronger foundation for future digital healthcare services as members’ needs and expectations continue to evolve.

The launch comes as Filipinos increasingly want to take a more proactive approach to their health. AIA Philippines’ 2026 Rethink Healthy study found that 70% of Filipinos reject a “bahala na” attitude toward their physical health.

Yet the research also showed that 83% are prompted to act only after a personal or family crisis, underscoring the need to make it easier for people to move from intention to action before health concerns escalate.

MedGo is designed to complement, not replace, the clinics, doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers that members already rely on. MediCard’s physical clinics and nationwide provider network remain central to the member experience, while MedGo offers a more convenient way to navigate and access that broader healthcare ecosystem.