As the current UAAP season unfolds, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons will continue to receive valuable support from their most loyal and staunchest supporters, Universal Robina Corporation’s Agro Industrial Group (URC-AIG) and the Robinsons Retail Group, after signing a Memorandum of Agreement on July 25, 2019, at the UP Executive House in Diliman, Quezon City.
Standing, from left: UP CHK Dean Francis Diaz, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, UP MBT Head Coach Bo Perasol, Robina Farms Marketing Director Jonathan Dino. Sitting, from left: nowheretogobutUP Chairman and UP MBT Manager Atty. Agaton Uvero, Robina Farms Business Unit General Manager Vincent Henry Go, UP President Danilo Concepcion, Robina Farms Farm Director Dr. Dante Palabrica, Robinsons Retail Group President & CEO Robina Gokongwei-Pe
Robina Gokongwei-Pe, a UP alumna and avid backer of the Fighting Maroons, has involved Robinsons Supermarket and Handyman as Fighting Maroons supporters since 2010. Even as UP went winless that year and won only a total of three games in four seasons (2010-2013), Robina and her group stuck it out and continued to support the country’s premier state university in its quest to regain relevance in the field of sports.
Just recently, Universal Robina Corporation’s Agro-Industrial Group, through its premium farm products unit, Robina Farms, was added to the line of companies that has thrown its support behind the Fighting Maroons.
“We firmly believe that the UP Fighting Maroons shares the same values as us, such as passion for excellence and loyalty to our stakeholders. As we renew our official support for the men’s basketball team, we want them to continue to imbibe the same things that our company lives by as they seek to surpass last year’s achievement. This upcoming UAAP Season 82, it would be another great privilege to stand by this team together with the whole UP community. Hoping to exemplify ISKOs values of honor and excellence in every endeavor,” said Vincent Henry Go of AIG’s Robina Farms.
“UP’s run last year is proof that everything is possible,” said URC-AIG's Marketing Director Jonathan Diño. “Hopefully, this year’s team will build on what Batch 81 started and bring home the UAAP Championship for the first time since ’86. It’s UP’s time! They should take it. They deserve it.”
“We’re always grateful for all the support we have received from our alumni, especially from Ms. Gokongwei and her group of companies, who have been with us through our ups and downs. This team knows what it’s like to be at the bottom, to lack basic necessities like food and allowances. We are thankful for the faith and loyalty of the Robinsons Retail Group,” said UP head coach Bo Perasol.
Standing, from left: TGP AVP-Supply Chain Abet Liuson, TGP General Manager Agnes Rafinan, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, UP MBT Head Coach Bo Perasol, UP President Danilo Concepcion, Daiso General Manager Katherine Yu. Sitting, from left: Robinsons Supermarket Managing Director Jody Gadia, Handyman Vice Chairman Willy Co, Robinsons Retail Group President & CEO Robina Gokongwei-Pe, nowheretogobutUP Chairman and UP MBT Manager Atty. Agaton Uvero, Handyman Group General Manager Stanley Co.
Also present at the signing besides Robina Gokongwei-Pe and Vincent Henry Go were Willy Co (Handyman Vice Chairman), Jody Gadia (Robinsons Supermarket Managing Director), Stanley Co (Handyman Group General Manager), Katherine Yu (Daiso General Manager), Agnes Rafinan (TGP General Manager), Abet Liuson (TGP AVP – Supply Chain), Dr. Dante Palabrica (Robina Farms Farm Operations Director), and Jonathan Dino (Robina Farms Marketing Director).
The Fighting Maroons, fresh from their Championship run in Taiwan’s Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Cup coupled with offseason training in Las Vegas and Japan, looks forward to thrilling their supporters with a good run in UAAP Season 82.
