The Palawan Group of Companies welcomes 158 new scholars, building dreams and shaping Futures

“Kami ng aking asawa at ang aming limang anak ay mga scholars din noon. Kaya naman, nang magsimulang lumaki ang Palawan Pawnshop noong 1998, naisip namin na mainam na magkaroon din kami ng scholarship program para makatulong sa mga estudyanteng may pangarap at nagsisikap. Nagsimula kami noon sa sampu, hanggang nadadagdagan taon-taon.” (Our entire family — my wife, our five children, and I — were also once scholars. Those opportunities helped shape our future. That’s why, in 1998, as Palawan Pawnshop began to grow, my wife and I thought it was only right to start a scholarship program to support underprivileged students with big dreams. We began with just ten scholars, and the number has continued to grow each year). ~Bobby L. Castro, Founder and Chairman

The 28th batch of PGC scholars gathers for a milestone moment as they officially join the Palawan Group of Companies’ growing community of future leaders.

The Palawan Group of Companies welcomed 158 new scholars as part of its continuous commitment to enhancing the lives of Filipinos. Education is one of the cornerstones of the company's major CSR initiative, the Palawan Group of Companies Scholarship Program (PGC-SP). A Confirmation and Orientation Day was held at the company's Puerto Princesa City headquarters to formally welcome the 28th class of PGC-SP.

Founder and Chairman Bobby L. Castro reflected on how scholarships shaped his own family’s journey.

Chairman Bobby L. Castro speaks from the heart, reminding scholars that education, paired with perseverance, can transform lives — just as it did for his own family.

Chief Human Resources Officer, Korina Castro-Fernando, delivered a heartfelt address to the new batch.

With sincerity and hope, CHRO Korina Castro-Fernando inspires the scholars to study with dedication and live by strong values in all they do.

“Kayo ang mga mukha ng pag-asa, mukha ng inspirasyon ng ating bayan. Mag-aral kayo nang may pagsisikap. Walang kapalit ang scholarship na ito. Ang bilin ko lang, paghusayan ninyo ang inyong pag-aaral, at laging piliing maging mabuting tao.” (You are the faces of hope, the inspiration of our nation. We do not ask for anything in return from our scholars, but if I may offer advice: study well, strive hard, and always choose to be a good person). ~Korina Castro-Fernando, Chief Human Resources Officer

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman and Co-founder, Angelita M. Castro, reminded the scholars that true education extends beyond academics.

Angelita M. Castro calls on scholars to be informed, principled citizens — urging them to pursue success with integrity and a deep love for the nation.

“Kailangan alam niyo ang nangyayari sa ating bayan. Iisa lang ang bansa natin, kaya nararapat itong mahalin at ingatan. Bilang aming mga iskolar, ang hiling ko sa inyo: kapag mga propesyunal na kayo, pakaingatan ang inyong integridad at ‘wag na ‘wag magiging korap. Piliin ang umunlad at makatulong sa pamilya sa malinis na paraan.” (You must be aware of social issues and protect the integrity of our nation. We only have one country, so we should love and protect it. As our scholars, my ask of you is this: someday, when you are in a position, when you have become professionals, maintain your integrity and never be corrupt. Work hard to succeed in your chosen paths and support your families with honesty and compassion. ~Angelita M. Castro, Deputy Chairman and Co-founder

The heartfelt messages from the members of the Board of Directors were met with a sincere response delivered on behalf of the batch by Lovie Ubay, a BA Communication student at Palawan State University.

Scholar Lovie Ubay steps up with gratitude and pride, pledging on behalf of her fellow scholars to honor the opportunity given and pay it forward through future success.

“Gagawin po naming inspirasyon ang biyayang ito upang lalo pang magsumikap sa aming pag-aaral. Hinding-hindi po namin sasayangin ang tiwala at suportang ibinigay nyo sa amin at naniniwala po kami na darating ang araw na maibabalik namin ang kabutihang ipinagkaloob ng Palawan Group of Companies sa pamamagitan ng aming tagumpay.”  (We will take this blessing as an inspiration to work even harder in our studies. We will never waste the trust and support you have given us, and we believe that one day, we will be able to give back the kindness that the Palawan Group of Companies has shown us through our success.) ~Lovie Ubay, BA Communication student at Palawan State University

The PGC-SP underscores the Palawan Group's philosophy that empowering Filipino youth through education is the path to nation-building – one scholar, one family, and one community at a time.  It has produced around 800 alumni to date, with many of them working as licensed instructors, certified public accountants, or entrepreneurs.  Many more have joined the organization in various capacities, contributing to its aim of delivering dependable financial services to Filipinos from the biggest metropolis to the most rural barrios.

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 and 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 bricktech 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 PalawanPay Websites.