As the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons prepare for UAAP Season 89, PalawanPay is strengthening its long-standing partnership with the university and expanding its support across UP’s growing varsity community. The partnership reaffirms PalawanPay’s commitment to Filipino student-athletes and to the values that continue to shape the UP athletic community.
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. The event brought together athletes, coaches, and university leaders to officially welcome the new UAAP season and prepare UP teams for the competition ahead.
The season-opening activities continued with the UP Pep Rally Season 89 on September 4 at the University Theatre. Students, alumni, coaches, and supporters gathered to rally behind the Fighting Maroons and show their support for the university’s teams as they enter another UAAP season.
For PalawanPay, UAAP Season 89 represents another chapter in a partnership that has grown significantly since 2019. What began with support for the UP Men’s Basketball Team has expanded across the university’s varsity community. The partnership now includes 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 of the partnership reflects PalawanPay’s belief that supporting athletes means being part of their journey long before game day. The company’s support goes beyond celebrating results on the scoreboard and focuses on the people and programs that help student-athletes prepare, compete, and grow.
For the Palawan Group, sports development is closely connected to the values it hopes to nurture among young Filipinos. These include 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 contribute to the development of UP student-athletes. The partnership provides support as athletes prepare for competition while reinforcing the wider UP community that stands behind the university’s varsity teams.
At the Season 89 Kick-Off, UP OASD Deputy Director Mo Gingerich highlighted the importance of having the wider UP community support 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.”
Gingerich’s message highlights the role of partnerships in the journey of UP student-athletes. Beyond resources, support can provide athletes with the confidence that comes from knowing that an entire community stands behind them.
More Than Competition
That sense of community was on full display during 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. Its athletes do not compete alone. They represent the university while carrying the support of students, alumni, coaches, and the broader UP community.
For Palawan Group Chief Financial Officer Lillian Castro-Selda, the commitment to UP carries personal significance. As a UP alumna herself, Castro-Selda has seen the company’s connection to 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 extends beyond wins and losses. For PalawanPay, the athletes represent qualities that also resonate with the company’s journey. These include 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.
These values give UP’s athletic programs a purpose beyond competition. They also reinforce the importance of discipline, teamwork, responsibility, and commitment among student-athletes representing the university.
Standing Behind the Journey
For PalawanPay, the partnership with UP is rooted in a personal connection that goes beyond sponsorship.
The relationship began in 2019 through the UP community when a fellow UP alumna introduced Lilian Castro-Selda to the people behind the Fighting Maroons. That introduction led to 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 represents an opportunity to give 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, the partnership has grown from support for the UP Men’s Basketball Team into broader support for student-athletes across different sports and levels. The expansion reflects the continuing connection between the Palawan Group and the university’s athletic community.
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.”
The statement reflects the shared values that have shaped the partnership between the Palawan Group and the UP Fighting Maroons. The relationship has developed through years of support for athletes and programs within the university.
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.
The partnership began with a shared connection to UP and has grown through years of believing in what its student-athletes can achieve. As the Fighting Maroons enter UAAP Season 89, PalawanPay continues to stand behind the university’s athletes and the wider UP varsity community.
