Insufficient education resources have been the continuing problem of the education sector to this day. It is the disheartening reality that students and teachers experience despite the efforts and hardships each school year.

In January 2023, Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte reported that only 104,536 out of the 327,851 school buildings in the Philippines are in “good condition”, and there are 89,252 schools that require major repairs. Vice President Duterte has also admitted that the lack of school infrastructure and resources to support the ideal teaching process is the most pressing issue of the country’s basic education.

Aside from the lack of classrooms, inadequate classroom chairs and tables, learning materials, hygiene facilities, as well as teachers have been the persisting issue of the country’s education system. This year, the classroom shortage in the Philippines is pegged at 165,000, which will take 20 years to solve, according to DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III.

McDonald’s has seen this issue and found a way to provide innovative and creative solutions. The classroom shortage in the Philippines is pegged just like their recently launched project, the McDonald’s first ReClassified project in the Philippines wherein chairs that were once used to be seats in the fast food restaurant were remodeled and converted into armchairs for classrooms.

Instead of seeing restaurant furniture from their renovated stores sit idly in their warehouses, McDonald’s Philippines decided to turn them into something beneficial that can help the public schools in our country.

Each year, 60 McDonald’s restaurants undergo renovations in order to adhere to global standards. As a result, the Golden Arches is left with a significant amount of decommissioned but still fully functional and expandable materials such as chairs, tables, steel, wood, and plastic. The ReClassified project desires to provide public school classrooms with refurbished, sturdy classroom chairs and tables to enhance the students' overall learning experience.

"McDonald’s ReClassified is one of the initiatives where we once again demonstrate our commitment to students by advocating for education," Adi Hernandez, McDonald’s PH’s AVP for Corporate Relations, shared during its launch at San Roque Elementary School in Marikina.

McDonald’s ReClassified project in partnership with Local Government Units like Marikina City, brings joy to children in public schools by making sure that each student will have chairs and desks to use when studying.

The current chairs and desks given to the students in Marikina are just the beginning. McDonald’s will expand its reach to more public schools across the country with not just chairs and desks but also other school fixtures that need rejuvenation.

Know which schools will be the next McDonald’s ReClassified beneficiary on their official Facebook and Instagram pages.