Empowering Filipino Children Through the Joy of Education
Known for spreading happiness through its meals, Jollibee is now bringing that same joy into the classroom. On October 14, 2025, the fast-food giant officially launched Jolliskwela, its first-ever education-focused employee volunteerism program, in partnership with the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The launch event, attended by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara alongside Jollibee and JGF executives, marks a major step toward the company’s long-term commitment to nation-building — one that empowers children, teachers, and parents to embrace the joy of learning.
A Shared Mission for Quality Education
Aligned with DepEd’s MATATAG curriculum and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, Jolliskwela aims to create meaningful, joyful learning experiences for Filipino children across the country.
Through partnerships with LGUs, NGOs, and public schools, and by mobilizing over 5,000 Jollibee employees and partners, the program hopes to spark a love for learning in every child transforming classrooms into joyful spaces of growth and discovery.
Tackling the National Learning Crisis
In 2022, the World Bank revealed a worrying statistic: 91% of Filipino children aged 10 struggle to read and understand simple text, one of the highest learning poverty rates globally.
Jollibee sees this not just as a challenge but as a call to action.
“This initiative reminds us of what we truly stand for — that joy is not only found in the meals we serve, but also in the futures we help create,” said Joseph Tanbuntiong, CEO of Jollibee Group Philippines and Jollibee Brand Global Head.
He added that when employees share their time with children, they “plant seeds of hope, nurture the next generation, and build bridges of learning and opportunity.”
Four Pillars of Jolliskwela
The program is built on four key areas designed to strengthen education from the ground up:
Character and Values Formation – instilling good morals and empathy in young learners.
Literacy and Language Proficiency – supporting DepEd’s Bawat Bata Makababasa program to help every child learn to read.
Teacher and Parent Empowerment – giving educators and parents tools to guide children effectively.
Joyful Learning Spaces – creating environments that make learning exciting and meaningful.
“Ang challenge ng ating kabataan ngayon is how to read, how to learn, and how to understand,” shared DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, thanking Jollibee for its continued partnership. “Kapag pinagsama po natin ang efforts ng DepEd at Jollibee, lalong magiging matatag at magiging successful ang learning outcomes.”
Volunteering for a Brighter Future
According to Jollibee Philippines President Ferns Yu, Jr., Jolliskwela expands on the company’s educational initiatives from publishing Jollibee Values Books to its goal of building 50 classrooms by 2028.
“We will bring this advocacy to life through volunteerism by nurturing children’s foundations in literacy and values, creating joyful learning spaces, and equipping teachers, parents, and volunteers with the tools and support they need,” Yu shared.
Over the next five years, the program targets to reach 91,000 children, log 46,000 volunteer hours, and achieve 50% volunteer participation among Jollibee employees and partners.
“What makes Jolliskwela so meaningful is that it brings people together for a purpose bigger than ourselves opening doors of learning for Filipino children,” said Ruth Angeles, Chief Human Resources Officer of Jollibee Group Philippines.
Spreading Joy, One Volunteer at a Time
For Anabelle Gosioco, Jollibee Philippines’ Head of Human Resources, the program is more than just corporate social responsibility, it’s a reflection of the brand’s heart.
“Every story we tell, every child we inspire, and every community we touch become small but powerful steps toward shaping the future of our nation,” she shared.
Through Jolliskwela, Jollibee continues to champion the Filipino spirit proving that real joy isn’t just served at the table, but also shared in the classroom.