SBP announces UNILAB as partner of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023
Published on April 20, 2023

From L-R: Sunshine Aquino – Assistant Vice President, Unilab, Kathrine Margaret Claire Martinez – Division Vice President, Unilab, Jose Antonio Evangelista – Operating Vice President, Unilab, JIP – FBWC23 official mascot, John Lucas – Head of Operations, JMC PH, Joseph Barrios – Head of Marketing, JMC PH


UNILAB, Inc., the leading pharmaceutical healthcare company in the Philippines, has joined the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 by signing as a major local sponsor in the global event scheduled August 25 to September 10. 

As lead co-host, the Philippines will house 52 of the 92 games, including the final phase, in the 32-team quadrennial cage summit, considered the pinnacle of FIBA events. The events will be housed in Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, and the 50,000 capacity Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. 

Ushering UNILAB into the FBWC23 fold are Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan and SBP President Alfredo S. Panlilio. 

“We welcome UNILAB to this prestigious event that will be followed by nations throughout the world,” said Pangilinan, a key member of the powerful FIBA Central Board and chairman and CEO of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. 

“This partnership will go a long way in ensuring the success of our country’s efforts to co-host this grand event, a national endeavor if ever there was one since this marks only the second time in our history that we will be staging a world basketball championship.”

The Philippines played host to the 1978 FIBA World Championship, where the former Yugoslavia emerged as champion. 

Alfredo Panlilio, a vital member of the FIBA Asia Board and President and CEO of PLDT and Smart Communications, meanwhile, paid tribute to UNILAB’S sense patriotism and generosity in coming to the aid of the national team and of the overall effort to promote the country to the whole world as a shining example of leadership, organization and hospitality. 

“We thank UNILAB for agreeing to be part of this once in a lifetime experience, and to share in this global activity, this journey which in a sense is truly a merger of world caliber sports and big business,” Panlilio said. 

“We at SBP stand proudly with UNILAB in declaring our steadfast commitment to the Filipino people and to our national players in forging one of the most successful FIBA World Cups ever.” 

Alexander S. Panlilio, Corporate Vice President of UNILAB, said that “partnering with the FBWC23, and being able to support our local athletes as they go up to compete against the best in the world, is an irresistible call. Who better to support our Filipino athletes than fellow Filipinos like UNILAB? Our mission is to care for them — as manifested in our company slogan Alagang UNILAB — and this is one way to do that.” 

UNILAB’s Alaxan brand is the Official Body Pain Reliever of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Trusted by Filipinos for over 50 years, [Ibuprofen + Paracetamol] Alaxan has been championing Filipino athletes and everyday warriors. 

As a trusted pain brand in the Philippines, Alaxan will enable the athletes to perform at maximum level during the games, reaching up to their full potential and rallying behind them to success. 

David Crocker, Executive Director of the FIBA World Cup 2023, joined the SBP top brass in expressing gratitude to the major local sponsor for its involvement in the event. 

“In order for something as huge as the FIBA Basketball World Cup to be successful, it must have great partnerships such as this,” said Crocker. “We welcome UNILAB on board and look forward to working closely with them in the lead up to basketball’s biggest international event.”