Renowned for its financial services across the Philippines, the Palawan Group of Companies is expanding its digital payment solutions further into the country’s uniformed services.
Through its Palawan Express Pera Padala (PEPP) service, the company has strengthened its partnership with the Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (AFPMBAI), providing new digital payment avenues for its members.
AFPMBAI members now have a new digital payment avenue: Palawan Express Pera Padala (PEPP) service
This expansion allows AFPMBAI members to conveniently settle their insurance and loan payments via the PalawanPay e-wallet, enabling seamless transactions anytime and anywhere. Members also have the option to visit any of the over 50,000 PEPP branches, authorized agents, and outlets nationwide, offering a blend of digital and in-person payment methods.
AFPMBAI is a vital institution offering financial security and protection to members of the Philippines’ uniformed services, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Corrections, among others.
This new collaboration builds on the longstanding partnership between the Palawan Group of Companies and AFPMBAI, which began in May 2019 with over-the-counter payment facilities at Palawan Express branches.
In 2021, AFPMBAI members started utilizing PEPP’s Disbursement Facility, simplifying the processing of loans, claims, refunds, dividends, and other benefits. This service improvement was aimed at increasing efficiency and accessibility for members, especially across AFPMBAI’s regional branches and extension offices.
Photo shows Lisa Lou Castro-Sabado (3rd from left), Chief Development Officer of Palawan Group of Companies, while shaking hands with BGen Bienvenido Regondola JR PA (Ret) during the contract signing. With them are (from left:) Missy Baldemor, Head of B2B Department Palawan Group of Companies; Third Librea, President of PalawanPay; MGen Nathaniel Y Casem PN (M)(Ret), Head of SOG and COO; MGeneral Henry Doyaoen PA (Ret), Head of CSG and CCSO.
At the recent signing ceremony for this enhanced partnership, the Palawan Group of Companies was represented by Chief Business Development Officer Lisa Lou Castro-Sabado, B2B Department Head Missy Baldemor, and PalawanPay Business Executive Officer Third Librea.
AFPMBAI’s signatories, on the other hand, included Major General Henry Doyaoen PA (Ret), Head of CSG and CCSO, and Major General Nathaniel Y Casem PN (M)(Ret), Head of SOG and COO. Brigadier General Bienvenido Y Regondola Jr PA (Ret), President and CEO of AFPMBAI, noted the positive impact of these initiatives, highlighting the significant improvement in collection rates from 2019 to 2023.
“These initiatives have significantly improved payment convenience and accessibility for our members, as evidenced by the steady increase in our collection rates. From 2019 to 2023, our collections have significantly improved through direct payment accounts, demonstrating that our members find the convenience of over-the-counter payments a valuable alternative to visiting AFPMBAI branches,” said Brigadier General Regondola Jr.
Lisa Lou Castro-Sabado, for her part, expressed the Palawan Group’s commitment to enhancing the financial transaction experience for their customers. “The expansion of Palawan Group of Companies’ partnership with AFPMBAI demonstrates our steadfast commitment to always finding ways to provide our sukis with the best financial transaction experiences,” she stated.
Photo shows Lisa Lou Castro-Sabado (left), Chief Development Officer of Palawan Group of Companies, as she and BGen Bienvenido Regondola JR PA (Ret) of the AFPMBAI seal the deal with a handshake.
This partnership underscores a shared dedication to prioritizing customers and members, leveraging innovative technologies, and maintaining integrity and compliance with applicable laws.
Both organizations are focused on delivering superior products and services, ensuring financial inclusivity, and crafting win-win scenarios that cater to their diverse customer base.
About Palawan Group of Companies
The Palawan Group of Companies includes Palawan Pawnshop, Palawan Express Pera Padala, Palawan ProtekTODO, Palawan Credit, and PalawanPay. With a history spanning 38 years, PGC is one of the fastest-growing financial institutions in the Philippines, renowned for its strength in remittance and pawning services. The company operates over 60,000 branches, Pera Padala outlets, and PalawanPay Money Shops nationwide.
Palawan Group offers a wide range of services including pawnbroking, domestic and international remittances, microinsurance, bill payments, electronic mobile phone loading, e-wallet cash-in, money exchange, ATM withdrawals, and cash disbursements.
The PalawanPay e-wallet app enhances these offerings, providing users with a digital platform for remittances, bill payments, e-load top-ups, and scan-to-pay QRPH codes. The app also supports pawn renewal and international remittance claims, making it a comprehensive digital solution for financial transactions.
Just recently, the company also announced a major partnership with eTap, a leading provider of self-service payment machines and kiosks. This collaboration will enable users of PalawanPay, the digital wallet of Palawan Group, to cash in their accounts at any of eTap’s over 2,777 kiosks throughout the country.
Palawan Pawnshop, Palawan Express Pera Padala, and PalawanPay are all supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. For more information, visit the Palawan Pawnshop and PalawanPay websites.