On October 14, 2025, Jollibee officially launched Jolliskwela, its first education-focused employee volunteerism program in partnership with the Jollibee Group Foundation and the Department of Education (DepEd). The launch was attended by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, together with Jollibee Philippines and Jollibee Group Foundation leadership teams.
Aligned with DepEd’s MATATAG curriculum and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, Jolliskwela is part of the company’s nation-building efforts, empowering children, educators, and parents to cultivate a love for learning.
By mobilizing more than 5,000 employees and partners of Jollibee, and working with Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-profit Organizations (NGOs), and public schools, Jolliskwela hopes to nurture joyful and purposeful learning and create meaningful educational experiences for Filipino children nationwide.
Addressing the National Learning Crisis
In 2022, the World Bank reported that 91% of Filipino children aged 10 struggle to read and understand simple text—one of the highest learning poverty rates in the world. Leveraging its broad network and dedicated employees, Jollibee seeks to be a catalyst for meaningful change.
“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 Jollibee Group Philippines CEO and Jollibee Brand Global Head Joseph Tanbuntiong. “When our employees share their time for children, they do more than lend a hand. They plant seeds of hope, nurture the next generation, and build bridges of learning and opportunity.”
Jolliskwela is grounded in four core pillars that support key areas of educational development: Character and Values Formation, Literacy and Language Proficiency, Teacher and Parent Empowerment, and Joyful Learning Spaces. Literacy and Language Proficiency, in particular, is aligned with DepEd’s Bawat Bata Makababasa Program, which envisions a Philippines where every child can and must learn to read.
“We’re always thankful for Jollibee, it’s the partnership that keeps on giving. Ang challenge ng ating kabataan ngayon is how to read, how to learn, and how to understand. Kapag pinagsama po natin [ang efforts ng DepEd at Jollibee], lalong magiging matatag at magiging successful ang learning outcomes. This is truly a blessing for us at DepEd and it’s something we really welcome and are thankful for,” said Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
“From the launch of our Jollibee Values Books to our goal of building 50 classrooms by 2028, we have consistently worked to open doors of learning for Filipino children. And now, we will further 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 to deliver meaningful and lasting educational experiences,” said Jollibee Philippines President Ferns Yu, Jr.
Over the next five years, the program targets to reach over 91,000 children, with plans to log close to 46,000 volunteer hours and achieve a 50% volunteer participation rate of employees and partners.
Human Resources for Jollibee Brand International Ruth Angeles
“What makes Jolliskwela so meaningful is that it brings people together for a purpose bigger than ourselves, and that is the purpose of opening doors of learning for Filipino children,” said Chief Human Resources Officer of Jollibee Group Philippines and Head of Human Resources for Jollibee Brand International Ruth Angeles.
With Jolliskwela, Jollibee hopes to build a nation where every Filipino child experiences the joy of learning, one employee volunteer at a time. As emphasized by Jollibee Philippines Human Resources Head Anabelle Gosioco, “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.”