FOR 17 years, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI) has stood by the University of the Philippines, not just through their championship years, but through the difficult seasons that came long before.
The partnership began in 2010, when the Fighting Maroons were still searching for their identity through winless campaigns during their so-called dark days.
And yet, RRHI was unmovingly right behind them.
For Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Robinsons Retail chair, the decision was rooted in something she recognized from her own experience building her company from the ground up.
“No one wants to support a losing team. But I’ve been in business for 40 years. When Robinsons Retail started 46 years ago, we were building the business from the ground up with a single store. Very few suppliers wanted to support us because they weren’t sure we knew what we were doing,” she shared.
“But there were a small group of suppliers who saw in our eyes that, with their support, we could be successful one day. It was the same with the UP Fighting Maroons. We saw it in their eyes.”
That belief became the foundation of a partnership that would endure rebuilding years, breakthrough moments, and eventually, championship success.
More personally, the relationship was also about Gokongwei-Pe giving back to the university that helped make her and RRHI who they are today.
“Supporting the UP MBT (men's basketball team) was never just a sponsorship. It was one way of giving back to the university that helped make us who we are today. There are many ways to help one’s school, and this was one way we could help,” she said.
First in the fight
Over the years, the Robinsons Retail family fought with State U, with the partnership also bringing together brands such as Robinsons Supermarket, Handyman, Robinsons Appliances, Daiso Japan, and TGP.
Then came the turning point.
UP returned to the UAAP Final Four in 2018 after a 21-year absence before finally ending a 36-year championship drought in 2022. Since then, the Fighting Maroons have established themselves as one of the top programs, making five straight finals appearances and winning another championship in 2024.
The journey, however, has never been defined solely by results on the court. Over 17 years, it has also been about friendships formed, memories created, and shared experiences between the UP community and the RRHI family.
“A lot of joy, and a lot of friends made along the way,” Gokongwei-Pe said when asked what the Fighting Maroons’ journey had given her over the years.
Now entering its 17th year, the partnership between the Fighting Maroons and Robinsons Retail stands as a testament to believing when nobody else believed.
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