PalawanPay Continues to Stand Behind UP Athletes as UAAP Season 89 Begins

As the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons gear up for UAAP Season 89, PalawanPay continues to strengthen its long-standing partnership with the university, expanding its support across UP’s growing varsity community and reaffirming its commitment to Filipino student-athletes. 

The partnership took center stage during the UP Fight x Palawan Group of Companies UAAP Season 89 Kick-Off, held on September 2 at the UP Varsity Training Center. The event brought together athletes, coaches, and university leaders to officially welcome the new UAAP season and prepare UP’s teams for the competition ahead. 

 The celebration continued with the UP Pep Rally Season 89 on September 4 at the University Theatre, where students, alumni, coaches, and supporters came together to rally behind the Fighting Maroons and show their unwavering support for the teams. As the Fighting Maroons take on another season of competition, PalawanPay remains committed to standing alongside UP’s student-athletes—supporting their pursuit of excellence both on and off the court.

For PalawanPay, UAAP Season 89 marks another chapter in a partnership with the University of the Philippines (UP) that has steadily expanded since 2019. The partnership began with support for the UP Men’s Basketball Team and has since grown to include various teams and groups within the university’s varsity community. This includes the Women’s Basketball and Women’s Volleyball Teams, as well as the swimming and judo teams and the UP Pep Drummers. As part of its continued engagement with UP, the Palawan Group is also exploring opportunities to extend its support to the university’s track and field and tennis programs. 

The UP PEP Squad performing the university chant

A Partnership That Has Grown with UP 

The broader scope of the partnership reflects PalawanPay’s commitment to supporting athletes throughout their development, extending beyond competition and the results reflected on the scoreboard. For the Palawan Group, sports development is closely aligned with the values it seeks to foster among young Filipinos, including discipline, resilience, excellence, teamwork, and a sense of responsibility toward others. 

 Through its partnership with the UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development (OASD), the company continues to support the people and programs that contribute to the development of student-athletes—helping them prepare for competition while providing opportunities for growth both within and beyond their respective sports. 

 At the Season 89 Kick-Off, UP OASD Deputy Director Mo Gingerich reminded everyone that behind every UP athlete is an entire community cheering them on. “As we begin another UAAP season, it is important that we continue to support all our athletes and all our teams. They have worked hard to get here, and knowing that the UP community is behind them gives them the strength and confidence to represent the University and fight for excellence.” His message highlights what partnerships truly bring to the athletes’ journey. Beyond providing resources, they give our athletes something just as powerful: the confidence of knowing that an entire community believes in them, stands with them, and is ready to cheer them on every step of the way. 

More Than Competition 

That sense of community came alive at the UP Pep Rally, where the University’s varsity teams took center stage alongside students, alumni, coaches, and supporters. The energy was unmistakable—but beyond the cheers, music, and school spirit, the gathering reinforced one of UP’s defining traditions: its athletes never compete alone. 

Lillian Castro-Selda, Chief Financial Officer of the Palawan Group of Companies, delivered inspirational remarks to the student-athletes.

 For Palawan Group Chief Financial Officer Lillian Castro-Selda, that connection runs especially deep. A UP alumna herself, she has witnessed the company’s partnership with the University grow since the Palawan Group first became a major sponsor of the UP Men’s Basketball Team in 2019. “We believe that supporting our athletes is one way of strengthening the UP spirit. It is one way of strengthening our pride in our University. And perhaps most importantly, it is one way of saying: We believe in you,” Castro-Selda said. 

 That belief goes far beyond the scoreboard. For PalawanPay, UP’s athletes embody values that mirror the company’s own journey—putting in the hard work, pushing through challenges, staying disciplined, and, no matter the setback, finding the drive to keep moving forward. Because sometimes, the strongest support isn’t just about helping athletes win. It’s about reminding them that an entire community is in their corner, cheering them on from the first whistle to the final buzzer. 

Coach Bo Perasol shares words of encouragement to the athletes during the PEP Rally Season 89

UP OASD Director Coach Bo Perasol brought that spirit to the heart of the PEP Rally, challenging UP’s athletes to make every chance to wear the Maroon and Green count. “Play for each other. As you enter any court, take that moment and have that courage because hindi na ito uulit. Show them your passion. Let them feel your discipline. UP Fight!” It was more than a call to compete—it was a reminder to embrace the moment.

 Every game offers a chance to represent something bigger than oneself, and every time an athlete steps onto the court, the University stands behind them. UP President Angelo “Jijil” Jimenez echoed that sentiment, reminding the athletes that “UP Fight” means much more than winning games. It is about becoming better, fighting not just for oneself but for others, and using one’s talents to contribute to the country. In that sense, every game becomes more than a competition. Every play, every challenge, and every hard-fought moment becomes part of something bigger: the UP tradition of excellence, service, and fighting forward together.

The UP Men’s Basketball Team was the first varsity team supported by the Palawan Group of Companies in 2019, marking the beginning of its long-standing partnership with UP athletics.

Standing Behind the Journey 

For PalawanPay, the partnership with UP has always been about more than putting a name on a jersey. It started with something much more personal: a shared connection to the UP community. The story goes back to 2019, when a fellow UP alumna introduced Lilian Castro-Selda to the people behind the Fighting Maroons. One conversation led to another, and before long, Palawan Express Pera Padala came on board as a sponsor of the UP Men’s Basketball Team. 

 For the Castro family, the partnership was also a way of coming home—and giving back. Founders Bobby and Angelita Castro, together with their five children, are all UP alumni. Supporting the university and its student-athletes was, in many ways, a natural extension of the family’s own UP story. And that story has continued to grow. What began with the Men’s Basketball Team eventually expanded into broader support for student-athletes across different sports and levels.

 Over the years, the partnership has become less about simply cheering from the sidelines and more about standing with the athletes through the hard work, sacrifices, and milestones that come with representing the Maroon and Green. That personal connection was especially clear after the Fighting Maroons captured the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball championship in 2024. 

The Palawan Group celebrated the historic win with a Thanksgiving Dinner at UP Diliman—a fitting celebration for a partnership that had grown alongside the team. Reflecting on the victory, Palawan Group Founder and Chairman Bobby Castro drew a parallel between the Fighting Maroons’ journey and the company’s own: “For both our company and the Fighting Maroons, success doesn’t come easy. You have to sacrifice, work hard, and overcome difficulties.” It’s a sentiment that continues to resonate as UAAP Season 89 gets underway.

 For PalawanPay, standing behind the Fighting Maroons is about more than the scoreboard. It’s about believing in the discipline that happens behind the scenes, the perseverance that keeps athletes going when the game gets tough, and the sense of purpose that comes with representing something bigger than yourself. What started in 2019 with a simple connection within the UP community has grown into a partnership built over years—and, more importantly, around a shared belief in what UP student-athletes can achieve. 

ABOUT PALAWAN GROUP OF COMPANIES: 

The Palawan Group of Companies has been a trusted partner of Filipinos for four decades. Its products and services include Palawan Pawnshop, Palawan Pawnshop Jewelry, Palawan Express Pera Padala (Domestic and International), Palawan ProtekTODO, Palawan Gold, Palawan for Business, Palawan Credit, and its e-wallet arm, PalawanPay, which is now trusted by 22 million Filipinos. 

Today, the Palawan Group is one of the country’s fastest-growing financial institutions and the market leader in pawning and remittance, with over 70,000 branches, Pera Padala outlets, and PalawanPay Money Shops nationwide. It is trusted by millions of Sukis for services that are mura, mabilis, at walang kuskos balungos (affordable, reliable, and hassle-free). 

Staying true to its brick-and-mortar approach, the company introduced PalawanPay to give Sukis the flexibility to transact anytime, anywhere — pwede sa branch, pwede sa app. Beyond remittances, PalawanPay also provides convenient access to bill payments, mobile load top-ups, pawn renewals, QR Ph scan-to-pay transactions, and gold and jewelry purchases. The Palawan Group of Companies operates under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). For more information, go to Palawan Pawnshop and PalawanP ay Websites.