Pampanga's SGH bags sole right to develop Best Western hotels in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Savers Group Holdings (SGH), a Pampanga-based conglomerate led by the Uy family, has bagged the exclusive right to develop the Best Western hospitality brand in the Philippines.

Based on the developer agreement signed with US-based Best Western International in Angeles City on July 7, SGH secured exclusive rights to "identify, assist and develop hotels seeking to upgrade or affiliate" with Best Western’s family of middle-market brands.

The partnership aims to accelerate the nationwide expansion of Best Western, particularly in high-growth areas such as Clark, Subic, Metro Manila and other emerging destinations.

"We are proud to be entrusted by Best Western to help grow its footprint in the Philippines,” SGH chair Jaime Uy said in a press statement.

"With decades of experience in the hospitality industry, the Savers Group in Pampanga has developed an experience for travelers, may they be local or international, that is inimitable — blending home-grown hospitality with world-class amenities,” Uy said.

Track record

“Our journey in hospitality began over 10 years ago, built on the foundation of more than 40 years of excellence across our diversified businesses in retail, building solutions and property development. We’re delighted that with this partnership, we can take this travel experience nationwide under the renowned Best Western brand,” he added.

In the early 1990s when Pampanga was reeling from the double whammy of the Mount Pinatubo explosion and the shutdown of US military bases, Uy and his brother Dennis, founder of fiber internet provider Converge ICT Solutions, started picking up real estate dumped by fearful investors.

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The assets included a commercial property along MacArthur Highway in Balibago, Angeles City, that they later developed into a mixed-use complex. The building was transformed into Best Western hotel that opened in March 2019, initially with 85 rooms.

And even when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, SGH took the contrarian stance, building a new hotel wing that increased room count to 186. The amenities were improved so that Best Western Plus Metro Clark could qualify for four-star rating. The spruced-up hotel opened in 2023.

Subic property opening

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In line with this strategic growth, SGH announced the upcoming opening of the Best Western Plus Hotel Subic, this July.

The Subic property would offer "modern accommodations and upscale amenities," the group said.

SGH said the partnership with Best Western aligned with SGH’s vision of helping transform Central Luzon, especially Clark and Subic, as well as the rest of the country, into a thriving hospitality and tourism hub.

"Through this Developer Agreement, we look forward to working with hotel owners who share our passion for excellence, innovation and service,” Uy said.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Best Western has a network of hotels in over 100 countries, offering a wide range of brands from economy to upscale accommodations./dda

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(2025/07/09-10:00)

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