The Palawan Group of Companies (PGC) earned a momentous international distinction at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, taking home seven major awards, including two coveted Gold Stevies for Excellence in Innovation and Brand Development. This global recognition highlights PGC’s mission to drive financial inclusion and deliver on its promise of “mura, mabilis, at walang kuskos balungos” (affordable, fast, and hassle-free) services for Filipinos.
The awards ceremony was held on May 13, 2025, at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, South Korea, and celebrated the region’s top companies for their excellence in creativity, innovation, technology, and service. This year, over 1,000 nominations highlighting innovative achievements from 29 markets across the Asia Pacific region were reviewed by an esteemed panel of judges. Since its inception in 2002, the Stevie Awards have been widely recognized as the world’s premier business awards, celebrating the exceptional achievements and positive impact of organizations and professionals worldwide.
Each category was evaluated by a distinguished panel of respected CEOs, entrepreneurs, and academic leaders from around the world. Among the esteemed judges were Sean Rooney, Co-Founder of Amire in Sydney, Australia, who has worked with global brands like Microsoft, Toyota, and Unilever; Jae-woong Yoo, a renowned expert in public relations with over 28 years of experience in South Korea’s government and academia; and Dr. Richard Huzhaoyang, with over 15 years of expertise in branding and advertising, and academic leadership at Soochow University in China.
PGC stood out across multiple categories, winning 2 Gold Stevies for Excellence in Innovation in Financial Industries and Innovation in Brand Development, recognizing its visionary leadership in building a customer-first ecosystem through its digital channel e-wallet, PalawanPay. With its bricktech approach, PGC integrates the strength of its more than 3500 Palawan Pawnshop – Palawan Express Pera Padala branches nationwide with the convenience of its e-wallet, PalawanPay, to deliver accessible, affordable, and inclusive financial services.
The company also took home a Silver Stevie Award for its cut-through marketing campaigns for Innovation in Cross-Media Marketing and another Silver for the Innovative Use of Technology in Customer Service. Additionally, PGC’s insurance brand, Palawan ProtekTODO, received a Bronze Stevie for Innovation in Brand Development with an outcome of more than 5 million Filipinos with ProtekTODO insurance policy. Palawan Pawnshop was also awarded a Bronze for Innovation in Digital Transformation in Financial Services through its launch of online pawn renewal service and gold jewelry sales in PalawanPay.
PGC wrapped up its award recognition with a high point, receiving the People’s Choice Stevie Award for Favorite Company in the Finance industry, a testament to the trust and support of over 37,000 voters worldwide.
“The Palawan Group of Companies is deeply honored to be recognized by the Stevie Awards, as these prestigious accolades highlight the innovation and perseverance that drive our commitment to delivering the best services to our customers,” said Third Librea, CEO of PalawanPay. “This recognition validates the hard work we put into constantly evolving our offerings and ensuring that our customers receive the affordable, fast, and hassle-free service they deserve.”
Bernard Kaibigan, Group Marketing Head at PGC, emphasized, “For nearly four decades, we’ve been dedicated to making financial services accessible to every Filipino, particularly those who are unbanked or underbanked. This is at the heart of everything we do, and winning seven Stevies awards is a testament to our ongoing efforts to break down barriers and create meaningful change.”
Winning at one of the world’s most competitive and prestigious business award platforms further cements PGC’s leadership in the industry and affirms its innovative, customer-first approach. These achievements not only bring international recognition but also honor the trust of Filipinos nationwide. PGC proudly shares these awards with their sukis, whose continued support has made them the country’s most trusted and leading pawnshop and money remittance company. This milestone marks a meaningful chapter in the company’s nearly 40-year journey of delivering inclusive, reliable, and accessible financial solutions across the Philippines.
