Jollibee Group Kicks Off Joy Learning Center Initiative with First Three Sites in Cebu, Occidental Mindoro, and Sarangani

Three schools down, more joy to go! The Jollibee Group’s Joy Learning Center initiative has grown from Tangub Elementary School in Pinamungajan, Cebu, and Buriraoan Elementary School in Occidental Mindoro, all the way to Alabel Integrated School in Sarangani (in photo) — where, on August 24, the third set of classrooms was proudly turned over, followed by a series of fun activities for the students led by Jolliskwela volunteers.

 

Manila, Philippines. September 9, 2026. — Jollibee Group is expanding access to quality education, marking another milestone with the turnover of its third set of Joy Learning Center classrooms, this time at Alabel Integrated School in Sarangani. The initiative, which has now built six classrooms, has reached communities in Cebu, Occidental Mindoro, and Sarangani as part of the Group’s efforts to create engaging, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments that foster long-term development.

The first Joy Learning Center was launched in July at Tangub Elementary School in Pinamungajan, Cebu, where two new classrooms were opened for learners. The initiative then expanded to two more classrooms in Occidental Mindoro with the turnover of a second Joy Learning Center at Buriraoan Elementary School in the Municipality of Magsaysay.

The turnover was made possible through the partnership among JGF, Jollibee, the Department of Education (DepEd), Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI), and the local government of Alabel.

The initiative supports the Department’s efforts to address the country’s classroom shortage by helping schools provide learning spaces where students can learn, grow, and pursue their aspirations.

The latest Joy Learning Center initiative forms part of the Foundation's broader education agenda, which also includes its flagship Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT) Central Kitchen initiative and Jolliskwela, Jollibee's employee volunteerism program focused on education. Together, these efforts reflect the Foundation's continuing commitment to helping create conditions that enable children to participate in and benefit from their education.

A shared investment in young learners

The Joy Learning Centers are made possible through the support of public- and private-sector partners, working together to address the needs of learners in underserved communities.

“Every program we build around education is guided by a simple principle: that access to knowledge and a good learning environment should not depend on geography or circumstance. Through the Joy Learning Center initiative, we are bringing learning closer to where it is needed most — one classroom, one school, and one community at a time — so more students can learn with dignity, graduate with confidence, and contribute meaningfully to their communities and our countrymen,” said Ferns Yu, Jollibee Philippines President.

JGF’s partners also emphasized the impact of these new learning spaces, which will enable them to continue serving future generations of learners in the community.

“These classrooms represent continuity, recovery, and hope. They show how partnerships can translate shared commitments into something concrete and lasting for our children,” said Cecile Dominguez-Yujuico, President Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation (CLAFI), JGF’s local partner in Sarangani.

“To CLAFI and JGF, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong patuloy na pagmamahal, malasakit, at pagtitiwala sa aming bayan. Your generosity is not only building classrooms—it is building opportunities, nurturing dreams, and helping build a brighter future for the children of Alabel. Indeed, education is a shared responsibility,” said Hon. Lilibeth "Ybing" Salarda, Municipal Mayor Local Government of Alabel.

These initiatives align with Joy for Tomorrow, the Jollibee Group’s global sustainability agenda anchored on Food, People, and Planet.

As part of the 50th anniversary celebration in 2028, the Joy Learning Centers stand as a tangible embodiment of the Group’s “Through the Joy of Learning” partnership. Through this initiative, the Group continues to invest in education infrastructure and skills development — supporting better learning outcomes, preparing young Filipinos for meaningful careers, and helping build more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready communities. As the initiative grows, the Jollibee Group aims to continue bringing the joy of learning closer to more Filipino students, one school and one community at a time.


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Inside the newly launched Joy Learning Center at Buriraoan Elementary School in Occidental Mindoro, students settle into their lessons — surrounded by a space designed to be safe, functional, and inspiring, where they can learn, grow, and pursue their dreams.


 

Representatives from Jollibee Group Foundation, Jollibee Philippines, DepEd Pinamungajan, the Municipality of Pinamungajan, Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Tangub Elementary School mark the turnover of the first Joy Learning Center classrooms with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Pinamungajan, Cebu last July.



About Jollibee Group

Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC) (the "Company") is one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant companies, driven by its purpose of spreading joy through superior taste. It manages and operates a portfolio that includes 20 brands (the "Jollibee Group") with over 10,700 stores and cafés across 33 countries.

The Jollibee Group’s portfolio includes nine (9) wholly-owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger and Tim Ho Wan), five (5) franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Tiong Bahru Bakery in the Philippines), and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (80%), Compose Coffee (70%), Shabu All Day (70%), bubble tea brand Milksha (51%), and SuperFoods Group that operates Highlands Coffee (60%) The Company also has membership interests in Tortazo, LLC, along with Chef Rick Bayless, for Tortazo in the U.S., and in Botrista, a leader in beverage technology.

The Jollibee Group's global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow, underscores its commitment to sustainable business practices across food safety, employee welfare, community support, good governance, and environmental responsibility, among others. These focus areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The Company has been recognized as the Philippines' Most Admired Company by the Asian Wall Street Journal, named one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies, and listed among Forbes' World’s Best Employers and Top Female-Friendly Companies. The Company is also a five-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient and featured in TIME’s World’s Best Companies and Fortune’s Southeast Asia 500 List.

To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com


About Jollibee Group Foundation

The Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) is the social development arm of the Jollibee Group. Established in 2004, the Foundation envisions every Filipino family to have food on the table. It builds partnerships and strengthens community capacities for resilience and self-reliance

JGF works with partners to promote food security through programs in agro-entrepreneurship, education, hunger mitigation, and disaster response. Its flagship programs include the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP), which enables smallholder farmers to supply institutional markets; the Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT) Central Kitchen Program, which strengthens feeding systems in support of children’s education; the Access, Curriculum, and Employability (ACE) Scholarship Program, which supports youth pursuing industry-based skills training; and Jollibee Group FoodAID, which delivers immediate food assistance in times of crisis.

Through these initiatives, JGF continues to spread the Joy of Sharing by working alongside communities to create lasting, meaningful change.