Palawan Group highlights community commitment at Panagbenga

BAGUIO CITY — The Palawan Group of Companies joined celebrations at the 30th staging of the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, sponsoring activities and mounting a floral float as part of efforts to expand its footprint in Northern Luzon.

Held under the theme “Blooming Without End,” the annual festival drew thousands of spectators to the highland city, with major events including the Grand Floral Float Parade and community hubs at Melvin Jones grounds in Burnham Park and along Session Road.

The Palawan Group said its participation underscored the region’s importance as a growth market for its financial services business, which includes pawning, remittance and digital payment solutions.

The company operates more than 3,500 Palawan Pawnshop and Palawan Express Pera Padala branches nationwide, including a broad network across Northern Luzon.

Its float, inspired by Cordilleran heritage, joined other entries in the Grand Floral Float Parade, one of the festival’s main attractions.

The company also set up interactive booths and joined the Kapamilya Caravan to promote its services, including the PalawanPay mobile application.

“Our participation in Panagbenga reflects how deeply we value the communities we serve,” Palawan Group President and Chief Executive Officer Karlo M. Castro said in a statement, citing the role of festivals in supporting local economies and community identity.

Chief Marketing Officer Bernard Kaibigan said the festival, established to boost tourism following the 1990 Luzon earthquake, symbolizes resilience and recovery for the Cordillera region.

The company rolled out festival-themed promotions, including discounts on select pawning services, rematado jewelry, Palawan gold products and micro-insurance offerings, alongside giveaways for customers registering on PalawanPay.

Panagbenga, launched in 1996, is among the country’s major cultural events and a key tourism driver for Baguio and nearby Benguet province.

The Palawan Group said its participation forms part of a broader strategy to align with national cultural celebrations such as the Sinulog in Cebu and the Dinagyang in Iloilo, positioning the company as an active partner in local economic activity while expanding both traditional and digital financial services.