For many Filipino parents, balancing work while ensuring their children receive quality early childhood education remains a daily challenge. For Monica Dela Cruz, a tricycle driver from Barangay Sto. Niño, Marikina City and a mother of three, this reality is all too familiar.
As the family’s primary breadwinner, Monica juggles long hours on the road while caring for her children. This year, another milestone awaits her family as her three-year-old son begins preschool—a new chapter that also brings new responsibilities and aspirations.
Stories like Monica’s reflect the realities faced by many hardworking Filipino families and underscore the importance of accessible, community- based early childhood education.
Recognizing this need, McDonald’s Philippines and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philippines formally inaugurated the 57th Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Center on June 26, 2026, in Barangay Sto. Niño, Marikina City. The learning center provides young children with a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where they can build foundational literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills that prepare them for formal schooling.
The Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Center marks another milestone in McDonald’s and RMHC Philippines’ continuing commitment to expanding access to quality early childhood education for underserved communities across the country. With 57 Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Centers now serving Filipino children nationwide, McDonald’s and RMHC continue to create learning opportunities that help children develop, families thrive, and communities grow stronger.
Marie Angeles, Executive Director of RMHC Philippines, said, ” For us at McDonald’s and RMHC, making a difference in communities, especially through education has and will always be part of who we are and what we do—from early childhood education, all the way to preparing students to be workforce ready.“
Welcoming the partnership, Mayor Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro of Marikina City remarked, “The opening of the Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Center reflects our shared commitment to making quality early childhood education more accessible for every child. Ito po ay magiging daan upang mas marami pa sa ating mga kabataan ang magkaroon ng pagkakataong makatanggap ng dekalidad na edukasyon sa isang ligtas, maayos, at nurturing environment.”
For parents like Monica, the center represents more than just a classroom—it is an opportunity for hope.
“Malaki talaga ang pasasalamat ko sa McDonald’s Philippines at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philippines sa pagbigay ng Bahay Bulilit Learning Center sa Brgy. Sto Nino, sa Marikina sapagkat matitiyak kong makakatanggap ng tamang edukasyon ang aking bunsong anak.”
As RMHC Philippines continues to expand its network of 57 Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Centers across the country, the organization remains steadfast in its mission of helping children access quality early childhood education, empowering families, and building stronger communities—one learning center at a time.