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As the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons gear up for UAAP Season 89, PalawanPay is strengthening 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 on September 2 at the UP Varsity Training Center, bringing athletes, coaches, and university leaders together to officially welcome the new UAAP season and prepare teams for the competition ahead. This was followed by the UP Pep Rally Season 89 on September 4 at the University Theatre, where students, alumni, coaches, and supporters gathered to rally behind the Fighting Maroons and show their support for the teams.
For PalawanPay, the new season marks another chapter in a partnership that has grown significantly since 2019. What began with support for the Men’s Basketball Team has since expanded across the university’s varsity community, including the Women’s Basketball and Women’s Volleyball Teams, swimming and judo teams, and the UP Pep Drummers. The Palawan Group is also exploring opportunities to support track and field and tennis.
A Partnership That Has Grown with UP
The broader reach reflects PalawanPay’s belief that supporting athletes means being part of the journey long before game day, not simply celebrating the results on the scoreboard.
For the Palawan Group, sports development is closely tied to the values it hopes to nurture among young Filipinos: discipline, resilience, excellence, teamwork, and responsibility to others. Through its partnership with the UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development (OASD), the company continues to support the people and programs that help student-athletes prepare, compete, and grow.
At the Season 89 Kick-Off, UP OASD Deputy Director Mo Gingerich underscored the importance of having the wider UP community behind its athletes. “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 captures the role of partnerships in the athletes’ journey: providing not only resources, but also the confidence that comes from knowing an entire community is behind them.
More Than Competition
That sense of community was on full display at the UP Pep Rally, where the university’s varsity teams took the stage alongside students, alumni, coaches, and supporters. More than a pre-season celebration, the gathering reinforced one of UP’s defining traditions—that its athletes do not compete alone.
For Palawan Group Chief Financial Officer Lillian Castro-Selda, the commitment carries personal significance. A UP alumna herself, Castro-Selda has seen the company’s connection to the university’s growth 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 extends beyond wins and losses. For PalawanPay, the athletes represent qualities that resonate with the company’s own journey: working hard, overcoming challenges, staying disciplined, and continuing to move forward.
UP OASD Director Coach Bo Perasol echoed the message during the PEP Rally, encouraging athletes to make every opportunity to represent the University 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!”
UP President Angelo “Jijil” Jimenez likewise reminded the athletes that the meaning of “UP Fight” extends beyond winning games. He emphasized that the spirit is also about becoming better, fighting for others, and contributing to the country—values that give the university’s athletic programs a purpose beyond competition.
Standing Behind the Journey
For PalawanPay, the partnership with UP is rooted in something more personal than sponsorship. The connection began in 2019 through the UP community itself, when a fellow UP alumna introduced Lilian Castro-Selda to the people behind the Fighting Maroons. What followed was a conversation that eventually brought Palawan Express Pera Padala on board as a sponsor of the UP Men’s Basketball Team.
For the Castro family, the relationship also means giving back to their alma mater. Founders Bobby and Angelita Castro and their five children are all UP alumni, making the partnership a natural extension of the family’s long-standing connection to the university and its community. Over the years, what began with the Men’s Basketball Team has grown into broader support for student-athletes across different sports and levels.
That personal connection has remained evident through the years. When the Fighting Maroons won the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball championship in 2024, the Palawan Group celebrated the team with a Thanksgiving Dinner at UP Diliman. Reflecting on the victory, Palawan Group Founder and Chairman Bobby Castro drew a parallel between the team’s experience and the company’s own journey: “For both our company and the Fighting Maroons, success doesn’t come easy. You have to sacrifice, work hard, and overcome difficulties.”
As UAAP Season 89 gets underway, that connection continues to evolve. For PalawanPay, standing behind the Fighting Maroons means supporting not only their pursuit of victories, but also the discipline, perseverance, and sense of purpose they develop along the way. This partnership began with a shared connection to UP and has grown over years of believing in what its student-athletes can achieve.
