McDonald’s Philippines remains steadfast in its commitment to improving public school classrooms across the country through its ReClassified initiative. The program repurposes decommissioned furniture from its renovated restaurants, to address the ongoing challenges faced by Filipino learners in their classrooms. By transforming materials from over 70 McDonald’s restaurant renovations each year—including still-usable chairs, tables, and steel—McDonald’s ReClassified provides durable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing furniture to public schools in need.
McDonald’s Philippines remains steadfast in its commitment to improving public school classrooms across the country through its ReClassified initiative. The program repurposes decommissioned furniture from its renovated restaurants, to address the ongoing challenges faced by Filipino learners in their classrooms. By transforming materials from over 70 McDonald’s restaurant renovations each year—including still-usable chairs, tables, and steel—McDonald’s ReClassified provides durable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing furniture to public schools in need.
On the photo (from left to right) Austin Torres, Public Affairs Manager, Ar. Harvey Vasquez, Dean for School of Environment and Design, Winning Design Team: Benilde’t Different; Glenn Laurence Hernandez (Industrial Design Student), Ralf Dylan Sales (Industrial Design Student), Ma. Minermila Espeleta (Industrial Design Student), Katherine Anne Correa Interior Design Program Chairperson, Romeo Catap Jr. Industrial Design Program Chairperson, Adi Hernandez Timbol, AVP Corporate Relations and Impact, and Chancellor Benhur A. Ong of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde
Rather than letting these materials go to waste, McDonald’s reimagines and repurposes them into classroom furniture that meets the specific needs of public school students. To date, McDonald’s ReClassified has distributed over 500 chairs to public schools in Isabela, Marikina, Cebu, and Sta. Rosa, benefiting 1,500 students. The program will continue to expand with an additional 250 which will be delivered to schools in Zamboanga and Agusan del Sur by the end of the year.
In an exciting new collaboration, McDonald’s has partnered with the College of Saint Benilde’s Interior and Industrial Design programs. The partnership invited students to create innovative furniture designs to be used in public schools across the Philippines. This collaboration not only provided students with the opportunity to apply their skills to real-world projects but also allowed them to make a meaningful contribution to improving education in the country. The furniture designs were showcased at the Main Activity Center of Ayala Malls Manila Bay on November 25, 2024. Notable designs included a chair by Willie Garcia from Junknot, a design expert in transforming waste into functional furniture, as well as three finalists from the ReClassified Student Competition.
Interior Design students Patricia Malijian, Ginelle Poblete and Chloe Tan won third place for their piece, “Twistiers”.
“Discover the full story of McDonald’s Philippines’ ‘ReClassified’ initiative—transforming decommissioned restaurant furniture into upgraded classrooms and labs for public schools. See how innovation and impact come together.
(Read more at Global Nation.) ”
