Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) has officially opened the first Bahay Bulilit Learning Center in Baguio City, located in Barangay Asin. This marks the 47th Bahay Bulilit center in the Philippines.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, McDonald’s Philippines Assistant Vice President for Corporate Relations Adi Hernandez, McDonald’s Baguio franchise owner Michael Del Rosario, Chief Happiness Officer Ronald McDonald, and officials from RHMC and Barangay Asin.

Mayor Magalong expressed his appreciation for RHMC and McDonald’s Philippines, commending them for completing the project in just 31 days. He also recognized the children in Purok 1, Barangay Asin, as the primary beneficiaries of the new center.

RHMC Philippines, which was founded in 1995, is the charity of choice of McDonald’s Philippines, focusing on promoting children’s well-being through education, shelter, and happiness.

Supporting Early Childhood Care and Development
Adi Hernandez, Assistant Vice President of McDonald’s Philippines, emphasized the importance of early childhood care and development (ECCD) in setting the foundation for lifelong learning. She noted the lack of daycare and learning centers for ECCD, which impacts children’s readiness for formal schooling.

“When we get the fundamentals right and instill basic learning skills in kids, they will flourish in formal schooling,” Hernandez said. “It’s vital that we work together to champion ECC in local communities.”

She also highlighted McDonald’s continued growth, with 790 stores across the Philippines and plans to open 65 new stores in 2024 and 80 in 2025. Every new McDonald’s store creates 80 to 100 job opportunities, particularly for working students.

The Bahay Bulilit Learning Center in Baguio City is a modest yet impactful facility created in partnership with the local government. The city provided funding for the building, while RHMC oversaw its construction. The City Social Welfare and Development Office will maintain the center, with accredited social workers and community volunteers leading lessons and activities focused on learning through play.

RHMC is committed to expanding Bahay Bulilit centers in communities that need them most, partnering with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units to continue promoting early childhood education across the Philippines.