McDonald’s Philippines marked its 19th year of participation in the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela by mobilizing nearly 4,000 volunteers from 679 stores nationwide, contributing almost ₱3 million worth of support to public schools across the country.

Led by the company’s leadership team, volunteers gathered at Catmon Elementary School in Rodriguez, Rizal on June 10, where they cleaned, painted, and decorated classrooms. The team also donated chairs and tables through its ReClassified initiative, which refurbishes decommissioned store furniture for classroom use.

A total of 250 ReClassified chairs and tables were allocated to six schools in Rizal this year, in partnership with GMA Kapuso Foundation. To date, the program has benefited over 2,000 students in 12 schools nationwide.

“This is a big help, especially for our KS-1 learners,” said Catmon Elementary School Principal Madonna Evangelio. “We really lack chairs, particularly for Grade 1 and Grade 2 students.”

Beyond classroom refurbishments, McDonald’s corporate partners Ecolab and Diversey also pitched in by donating cleaning materials, while McDonald’s Kindness Kitchen served 1,000 meals at the kickoff of Brigada Eskwela in Bacacay, Albay.

Assistant Vice President for Corporate Relations and Impact Adi Hernandez emphasized the company’s long-standing commitment to education. “Since 2006, we’ve been helping schools prepare for the new school year. This is just one of the many ways we give back to our communities and strengthen partnerships with schools,” she said.

Through the Ronald McDonald House Charities Philippines (RMHC), the company also supports early learning through Bahay Bulilit centers and the Read to Learn program, while also partnering with DOLE to provide job opportunities for out-of-school youth.

“Volunteerism and education have always been at the heart of McDonald’s. From preschool to employment, we’re here to open doors to learning, growth, and opportunity,” Hernandez added.