I started out as a knife trader way back in 1992 when some people I met at the martial arts school asked me to source out Filipino knives and swords for them.  Doing business then was very difficult. If you want to market your knives internationally, you need to participate in big knife shows in the United States and Europe. But back then I did not have the financial resources to do it. I mainly relied on supplying knives to friends and writing to companies who may need suppliers of Filipino knives and swords.  At about the same time, I also ventured into supplying knifemakers with Mother of Pearl for knifehandles.  This I did for a short time only.

During the dot com boom of the late 90's, my business started to pick up when I became one of the first Filipinos in the Philippines to setup a full online store that accepted credit card payments, thus allowing me to sell my knives directly to the consumer.

At the turn of the millennium, I decided to learn and make my own knives so I took basic machining courses. And in 2003, the Palacio brand was born. Since then, Pandayan has gone a long way. I was able to develop a balisong knife that could stand together with other top brands.

Now, the Palacio brand is recognized around the world as a knife that stands for quality in terms of finish, design, and function. In the 16th SICAC show in Paris, Palacio won the " Best Tactical Knife Award ".

In 2007, I am rekindling my old fascination with the pearl. Being in a country with such rich resources of beautiful South Sea pearls, I cannot help but be lured by its appeal.   South Sea Pearls are have several distinct characteristics that are unique to this gem. It’s nacre is unusually thick, ranging from 2-6mm.  They also have a unique, satiny luster that comes from the rapidly deposited nacre and warm waters of the South Seas. South Sea pearls also have a subtle array of colors, typically white, silver, and golden, that are rare in other pearl types.

Including the South Sea Pearls among the Palacio selection is my way of presenting another Filipino beauty to the world.  As always, it is my goal as a craftsman to produce the finest work possible, so expect to see more surprises in the future as Palacio continues to grow and evolve.