By ROBERTO COLOMA
At A Glance
- Robinsons Retail and Top Breed dog food on Monday, Sept. 8, announced the renewal of their sponsorship of the University of the Philippines men's basketball team.
Contributor
Robinsons Retail and Top Breed dog food on Monday, Sept. 8, announced the renewal of their sponsorship of the University of the Philippines men's basketball team.
The Maroons are the defending champions in the UAAP and have won two golds and two runner-up finishes during their partnership with Robinsons Retail and Top Breed, both members of the Gokongwei group.
Robinsons Retail chairman Robina Gokongwei-Pe (center) along with the players and team officials of the UP Fighting Maroons. (Roberto Coloma)
"This is our 16th year of supporting the UP men's basketball team. So proud of this team who were cellar dwellers for the longest time. Can't believe we were 0-14 the first year of our sponsorship!" said Robina Gokongwei-Pe, chairman of Robinsons Retail.
UP president Angelo Jimenez said in a message to the gathering that "even when the breaks don't go our way, our alumni never stop believing in the team."
"Champions aren't defined by wins alone—they learn, regroup, and come back stronger."
"After a tough loss, I reminded our players: the journey is never easy. Just look at UP—we've produced more Philippine presidents than basketball titles!"
Robinsons Retail started out as a single department store in what is now Robinsons Manila in the Ermita district.
Top Breed is a dog food brand of Universal Robina Corporation Agri-Industrial Division (URC-AIG).
Both the heads of Robinsons Retail and URC-AIG, Vincent Go, who are cousins, went to UP.
"We're so proud to be part of this journey," said Go.
Robina Gokongwei was a sportswriter for UP's student newspaper the Philippine Collegian from 1980-81.