Palawan Pawnshop, Palawan Express Pera Padala, and PalawanPay were recognized at the 12th International Finance Awards for their innovation and excellence.
As it marked four decades of service, Palawan Group of Companies capped 2025 with a milestone year that underscored why it remains a household name for millions of Filipinos.
From a historic haul of international awards to continued expansion of people-first financial solutions, the company’s 40th anniversary became both a celebration of trust earned and a launchpad for bolder innovation ahead.
“We are proud of these recognitions, but our work doesn’t stop here,” said President and CEO Karlo M. Castro.
“They inspire us to push further, strengthen our commitment to service, and continue raising the bar for innovation. As we move into 2026, we will keep improving our services and expanding our reach to ensure every Filipino can access reliable and meaningful financial solutions. The Palawan Group has always been and will always be about serbisyo para sa Pilipino,” Castro added.
For generations, Palawan Pawnshop has been a lifeline for everyday needs, trusted for fair collateral valuation, low interest rates, and fast, hassle-free service. That legacy earned it recognition as Best Pawning Company at the 12th International Finance Awards, while its digital upgrades—online pawn renewal and gold sales via PalawanPay—garnered a Bronze Stevie Award for Innovation in Digital Transformation in Financial Services. The message was clear: convenience and accessibility now move hand in hand with reliability.
PalawanPay triumphed at the Marketing Technology Awards, earning recognition for its outstanding use of marketing platforms to engage customers and drive measurable results.
Money transfers, meanwhile, continue to be redefined by Palawan Express Pera Padala. With a network of over 10,000 branches reaching even the country’s most remote communities, the brand was honored with a Silver Stevie Asia-Pacific Award for Innovation in the Use of Technology in Customer Service and named Most Innovative Remittance Company at the 12th International Finance Awards—affirming its role in making safe, affordable remittances truly nationwide.
At the center of the group’s digital push is PalawanPay, now serving more than 20 million users through a single platform that handles bills, mobile top-ups, pawn renewals, jewelry purchases, and microinsurance. Its impact was recognized with the Most Innovative E-Wallet award at the 12th International Finance Awards, alongside multiple marketing honors at the YouTube Works Awards Southeast Asia and the Marketing Technology Awards 2025—proof that smart tech and smart storytelling can drive inclusion at scale.
Financial protection has also become more accessible through ProtekTODO, the group’s microinsurance arm. Designed to be affordable and easy to understand, its critical illness coverage earned a Bronze Stevie Award for Innovation in Brand Development, offering peace of mind to families often left out of traditional insurance systems.
Beyond retail, Palawan For Business strengthened the group’s impact through partnerships that brought aid closer to communities. Its work transforming select branches into micro-payout hubs and mobile payout caravans was recognized with a Silver Award for Most Innovative B2B Campaign at the NEXT Awards Asia-Pacific 2025, highlighting how collaboration can accelerate inclusive delivery of financial assistance.
Collectively, these efforts culminated in major honors at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, where the company took home two Gold Stevies for Excellence in Innovation in Financial Services and Innovation in Brand Development, alongside Silver awards for cross-media marketing and technology-driven customer service. The accolades reflect a holistic approach that blends technology, creativity, and human-centered service.
“Winning multiple awards this year reflects our commitment to our sukis,” said Bernard Kaibigan, Group Marketing Head. “For four decades, our mission has been to provide fast, affordable, and hassle-free financial services to every Filipino, especially the unbanked and underbanked. These accolades affirm the hard work of our team and the trust of our sukis.”
As the Palawan Group turns the page on its 40th year, 2025 stands as a defining chapter—one written in trust, innovation, and impact. And with its sights set on 2026, the company is poised to build even more solutions around the people it serves, keeping sukis firmly at the heart of everything it does.
