Hoya panchoi is native to the Philippines, specifically found on the island of Luzon, in the Province of Camarines Sur. It was collected from a locality called Mount Isarog.
It grows in wet tropical forest environments, typically as an epiphyte (climbing on trees). Its natural habitat is characterized by high humidity, warm temperatures, and dappled or filtered light under the forest canopy.
oya panchoi was formally described by Santiagoda F. Bernardo (S.F.Bernardo), a Filipino botanist.
He published its description in 2007 in the "Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology" (Philipp. J. Syst. Biol. 1(1): 27-30).
The species was named in honor of Dr. Franciso "Pancho" N. Bernardo, a prominent Filipino botanist, plant breeder, and former Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, recognizing his significant contributions to Philippine botany.