Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Centers provide preschool children in underserved communities with access to safe, nurturing spaces where they can learn, play, and build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
Manila — As McDonald’s Philippines celebrates 45 years of serving feel-good moments to Filipinos, the company earned three of the highest recognitions at the 20th Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards: Feed the Mind was named Corporate Program of the Decade, Chairman and Founder Dr. George T. Yang received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Managing Director Margot Torres was honored as Business Leader of the Decade.
The recognition carries special significance as the Decade Awards were introduced as part of the Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards’ 20th anniversary celebration. The special awards honor organizations, programs, and leaders whose impact has stood the test of time, recognizing meaningful contributions to business, society, and nation-building.
A Longstanding Commitment to Education
The recognition of Feed the Mind as Corporate Program of the Decade reflects a commitment that McDonald’s Philippines has sustained for generations: helping young Filipino learners gain better access to education. Feed the Mind brings together the organization’s education-focused programs that support Filipino learners at different stages of their educational journey.
One of its longest-running initiatives is the Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Center, implemented by its charity of choice, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philippines. Despite government efforts to expand early childhood care and development services, as many as 33,000 barangays nationwide still do not have a daycare center, leaving many young children vulnerable to irreversible learning gaps during their most critical years of development.
In partnership with local government units and local social welfare and development offices, Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Centers provide 2-4 year old children with a safe and nurturing environment where they can learn, play, and develop foundational skills while their parents work. Today, McDonald’s and RMHC Philippines have built 57 of these learning centers across the country.
Feed the Mind also encompasses initiatives designed to address barriers to learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, McDonald’s Philippines launched McDonald’s Classroom, opening its unused restaurant party rooms for students and teachers in need of a conducive space for online learning. As schools gradually returned to face-to-face classes, the initiative continued through Night Classroom, providing students with a comfortable place to study after school hours.
Finally, Feed the Mind’s impact extends beyond restaurant doors through ReClassified, a program that gives a second life to furniture from renovated McDonald’s stores by transforming them into tables, chairs, and bookshelves for public schools. Through the initiative, materials that once served customers continue to serve communities, helping create better learning environments for students while promoting sustainability.
To date, McDonald’s and RMHC’s various education programs have benefited at least 13.2 million students, 30,000 teachers, and 14,500 schools nationwide.
Leadership Rooted in Purpose
The company’s commitment to creating meaningful impact has been shaped by leaders who have consistently championed the idea that business can be a force for good.
This philosophy was recognized through the Lifetime Achievement Award conferred on McDonald’s Philippines Chairman and Founder Dr. George T. Yang. The award honors his vision and leadership in building one of the country’s most successful quick-service restaurant brands while remaining steadfast in his belief that growth must go hand in hand with creating opportunities for people and communities.
Since bringing McDonald’s to the Philippines in 1981, Dr. Yang has focused not only on expanding the business but also on investing in Filipino talent. From the very beginning, he ensured that service crew members and managers were hired directly and provided opportunities for growth and development. Today, McDonald’s Philippines has grown into a network of more than 860 stores nationwide and provides employment to approximately 75,000 people. Majority of its crew are working students, supported through flexible work arrangements that allow them to pursue their education while gaining valuable work experience.
The recognition is particularly meaningful as McDonald’s Philippines marks 45 years in the country, reflecting the values and vision that have guided the company since its founding and continue to shape its impact today.
“Thank you very much for this special Tambuli Award,” said Dr. Yang. “This award actually should go not to me, but to all the people who are involved in my organization. I continue to believe that business, if done right, can be a force for good.”
Building a Brand for the Future
The APAC Tambuli Awards also recognized McDonald’s Philippines Managing Director Margot Torres, naming her Business Leader of the Decade.
The award recognizes Torres’ role in transforming McDonald’s Philippines into one of the country’s most loved, innovative, and culturally relevant brands. Since joining the company in 2003 and later becoming Managing Director in 2018, she has helped lead a period of significant growth marked by digital transformation, creative excellence, and continued business expansion.
Working alongside President and CEO Kenneth S. Yang, Torres championed initiatives that positioned digital as a key growth driver for the business, from pioneering online and mobile ordering platforms to building an integrated omnichannel ecosystem that strengthened convenience and customer engagement. She also helped steer the brand’s expansion across the country while keeping it connected to the everyday lives of Filipinos.
Under her leadership, McDonald’s Philippines earned recognition across some of the industry’s most prestigious award platforms. Beyond marketing, Torres has also championed talent development within McDonald’s and across the broader industry, helping nurture the next generation of Filipino marketers and leaders.
Beyond business transformation, Torres also demonstrated leadership during one of the country’s most challenging periods. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as communications lead for Task Force T3, helping mobilize the private sector through the Ingat Angat campaign, which supported economic recovery efforts and helped build public confidence in vaccination.
The recognition is especially meaningful for Torres, who received the inaugural Chief Marketing Officer of the Year Award from the Tambuli Awards in 2011. Fifteen years later, being named Business Leader of the Decade reflects a career spent building brands, developing people, and creating meaningful impact beyond business results.
Beyond Campaigns
Over the years, the APAC Tambuli Awards have evolved to recognize not just creative purpose-driven campaigns, but companies that have lasting impact on society, communities, and the planet.
This is why receiving the top awards was especially significant for McDonald’s. Said Torres: “Tambuli now celebrates companies who stay committed to the right values and brand purpose across the entire operations, and that means doing good every day, even without a case study about what you do.” Beyond the Lifetime and Decade Awards, McDonald’s Philippines also earned Bronze awards for Two-Minute Drive-Thru Guarantee and McDo Math under the Masters of Everyday Purpose – Delivering Brand Promise category, as well as Lighting the Way for Every Working Student: A Workplace Designed to Unlock Their Best Self under the Leadership for Sustainability and Corporate Purpose – Inclusive Growth category.
