Longtime UP Fighting Maroons supporter, the Palawan Group of Companies (PGC), has taken its support of the University of the Philippines basketball program to the next level by embracing the UP’s Women’s Basketball Team (UPWBT) and the UP Junior Basketball Team (UPJBT) alongside the UP Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT).
The group of companies owned by UP alumni couple Bobby and Angelita Castro that operates the pawnshop, money remittance, and e-wallet chain of Palawan Pawnshop, Palawan Express Pera Padala, and PalawanPay, signed a Memorandum of Agreement Tuesday, September 3, with UP sports and team officials in UP Diliman.
PGC Chief Finance Officer Lilian Castro-Selda represented the family-owned multi-brand corporation while UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development (UP OASD) Director Bo Perasol, UP MBT manager Atty. Agaton Uvero, UPWBT manager PJ Roman, and nowheretogobutUP Foundation chairman Jed Eva signed on behalf of the University.
For University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87, the men’s basketball team will be sponsored by PalawanPay while the women’s basketball team will have the support of Palawan Express Pera Padala. The junior basketball team of UP that is now under the men’s basketball program will also benefit from the Palawan Group support.
“We come from a family of UP alumni, and our parents especially, have taught us love for country, hard work, service and integrity. We live these values and they serve as the guiding principles of our company. We work always with passion and for excellence. As a way to give back to the University that shaped us, and as die-hard basketball fans at the same time, we thought of supporting the men’s and women’s basketball teams whose achievements on and off the court continue to be a source of inspiration for all of us,” Castro-Selda shared.
“We approached Palawan [Group of Companies] five years ago through a common friend. We did not know them personally then but they were all very welcoming, maybe because of the UP connection. As such, they easily extended their support to us and for the past five years, we have felt like we belong to one big family. The UP Men’s Basketball Team and the UP Junior Basketball Team are very grateful to Tatay Bobby, Nanay Angelita, and the Castro family for their support and belief in the Fighting Maroons,” UPMBT manager Atty. Uvero said.
“Tatay Bobby and Nanay Angelita are the true embodiment of UP’s motto, ‘Honor, Excellence (and) Service’,” added Perasol. “They have built their business from the ground up and succeeded at growing a brand as big and successful as Palawan Pawnshop and the other companies under the Palawan Group. Now, they are giving back to their University and we are really blessed to be the recipients of their generosity.”
PGC first entered a sponsorship deal with the UP Fighting Maroons basketball program through Palawan Express Pera Padala, the leading domestic money remittance company, in 2019. PalawanPay, one of the fastest-growing and award-winning e-wallets in the country, started supporting the UP Men’s Basketball Team in 2023.
To add a special touch to their support of UP’s basketball teams, the Palawan Group also hosted the send-off dinner for the UPMBT, UPWBT, and the UPJBT on September 3, wishing them good luck before they embark on their Season 87 campaign.
The UPMBT opens the season on September 7 against their Katipunan neighbor, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Both the UPWBT and UPJBT will see action against Ateneo on September 8.
