The Palawan Group of Companies continues to solidify its leadership as a trusted partner in public service innovation after winning Silver for Most Innovative B2B Campaign at the NEXT Awards Asia-Pacific 2025. Held on 27 November 2025 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, the regional award recognizes the company’s impactful partnership with government agencies through its B2B arm, Palawan for Business—particularly its mission of making financial aid more accessible in far-flung and underserved communities.
This recognition highlights Palawan Group’s growing role as a private-sector trailblazer, strengthening government disbursement programs while advancing financial inclusion nationwide.
Leadership Speaks: Innovation with Heart
Lisa Lou Castro-Sabado, Chief Business Development Officer, expressed the company’s gratitude for the award:
“We are honored to receive the Silver Award for Most Innovative B2B Marketing Campaign at the MARKETECH APAC NEXT Awards 2025. This recognition affirms our commitment to strengthen partnerships that create real impact in the communities we serve. At Palawan Group, ‘innovation’ is more than just a buzzword—it is the anchor that guides us in understanding the needs of our partners. We share this win with our teams, industry partners, and above all, every Suki whose lives we aim to continue to touch.”
Castro-Sabado, joined by Missy Cheah-Balemor, Head of Palawan for Business, accepted the award on behalf of the company—representing the teams driving impactful B2B collaborations nationwide.
A B2B Model That Brings Public Service Closer to the People
Through Palawan for Business, the company’s extensive network of 3,500+ branches has become a powerful enabler of government programs. In partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the initiative transformed select Palawan branches into micro-payout hubs strategically placed in remote barangays, island towns, and mountainous communities.
The project’s innovative model also includes:
- Mobile branches and payout caravans reaching isolated areas
- Real-time payout monitoring for transparency
- SMS alerts to beneficiaries, ensuring safe and informed disbursements
- Streamlined, compliant, and efficient operations capable of handling high-volume payouts
This system drastically reduced travel time, transportation costs, and logistical challenges for beneficiaries—many of whom previously had to travel long distances just to receive government aid.
Setting the Benchmark for Asia-Pacific B2B Innovation
The NEXT Awards Asia-Pacific, organized by MARKETECH APAC, recognizes marketing excellence across Southeast Asia and the wider region. Its unique country-to-regional structure ensures only top-performing national campaigns advance to the APAC stage.
Campaigns are judged based on:
- Creativity
- Strategic execution
- Operational effectiveness
- Measurable results
- Community and business impact
By winning Silver, Palawan for Business stands out as a leading example of B2B innovation that drives real-world impact—proving how private-sector expertise can elevate public programs and touch millions of lives across distant islands and underserved communities.
