BIZ BUZZ: ‘Ninang’ Robina deepens UP Maroons’ funding pool
The University of the Philippines (UP) Men’s Basketball Team (MBT), or “Fighting Maroons,” began their fresh bid for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89 crown by locking in solid institutional backers.
For the 17th straight year, the “ninang” of the pack, retail tycoon Robina Gokongwei-Pe has continued to lead this steadfast cohort of UP MBT backers.
“Because I went to UP and because UP helped me become what I am today, I said I have to give back to the school,” Gokongwei-Pe told the media on Wednesday as Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., the retail giant that she chairs, signed a renewal of partnership with UP MBT.
But unlike in the previous years, Gokongwei-Pe did not stand up to deliver any speech this time. The new batch of Fighting Maroons didn’t get to hear her usual joke about making her twin python (according to urban legend, this is the lucky charm behind the family’s wealth) bite them if they lose the UAAP games.
Instead, Gokongwei-Pe let her successor as RRHI president and CEO, Stanley Co, speak on behalf of the retail group, despite the latter not being a UP alumnus.
“I’m a Tiger and I’m an Archer cheering for the Maroons,” Co said, drawing applause from the UP crowd.
“Their love for the team is infectious,” he said, referring to his boss and top colleagues at RRHI, as he hailed UP MBT’s incredible journey from the bottom of the pit to a “stellar” force in the league.
Meanwhile, Gokongwei-Pe is also responsible for enlisting a new corporate partner for UP MBT—Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. Aside from contributing moolah, Unioil has also agreed to provide free fuel for the varsity team buses.
Unioil, backed by Saudi Aramco, really wanted to support Philippine basketball and originally wanted to put up basketball courts. But since the barangays are already doing this, Gokongwei-Pe suggested that Unioil join the UP MBT corporate funding machinery instead.
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