A daughter reminisces her father's main motive for starting the iconic kerosene stoves: to create jobs and enhance people's lives. It is the factory's guiding spirit as it moves forward.
MANILA, Philippines – Enrique “Kee” Laguinia, the man behind the iconic Goodfire kerosene stove, passed away at the age of 99 in 2022. The company he founded, though struggling in this new economic climate, perseveres guided by his principle of helping people.
After his release, he joined the guerrilla forces as a medical aide, responsible for storing equipment in the storeroom. Through trial and error, he attempted to find a more convenient way to cook. His “aha!” moment came when he recalled the intravenous infusions that utilized gravity. The stove could have an elevated tank connected to a burner, making it easier to fuel the fire.
His sisters also helped, going from door to door, explaining and demonstrating to potential customers how to use the stove. Eventually, he hired a salesman and placed an advertisement in the widely-read Liwayway Magazine. During its peak from the late 1980s to 1990s, Goodfire employed 250 people who worked 12-hour shifts, striving to meet the growing demand from households as well as street vendors who benefitted from the portable stoves.
In 1989, Kee asked his eldest daughter Elma, who had graduated with an architecture degree, if she wanted to take over the business. Unaware that she had a choice, Elma reluctantly agreed.The unit has evolved from the original stand-alone table-height model from the 1950s, featuring a tiled top and iron legs, to the more mobile units used for fish ball carts.
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