Manila, Philippines — McDonald’s Philippines is celebrating 44 remarkable years in the Philippines by unveiling a commemorative marker at its historic first store on Morayta Street, Manila.
Last October 28, McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO Kenneth S. Yang, together with Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, led the ceremonial unveiling of the marker dedicated to McDonald’s Philippines Chairman and Founder Dr. George T. Yang.
Located in the heart of the country’s University Belt, McDonald’s Morayta holds a special place in the hearts of students, families, workers, and friends. The marker stands as a celebration of this iconic store, which has been home to countless feel-good moments shared by generations of Filipinos.
As part of its continuing commitment to give back to the community it has served for more than four decades, McDonald’s also hosted an exciting and heartwarming McDo Party for over 40 children from the Manila Child Development Center, giving the brand an opportunity to share this milestone celebration with the local community.
The Morayta store opened in 1981, soon after Dr. Yang was granted the exclusive franchise to operate McDonald’s in the Philippines. “When I brought McDonald’s to the Philippines, I initially envisioned opening 10 branches,” said Dr. Yang. “Forty-four years later, the Philippines now ranks as one of the top 10 McDonald’s markets in the world, and we have more than 800 stores across the country. This is why I consider it important to shine a spotlight on McDonald’s Morayta, where it all began. It is also our reminder to stay focused on our customers, so that each moment they spend in our stores will create lasting memories for years to come.”
He added: “McDonald’s Morayta also saw our very first batch of working students, many of whom were driven to gain substantial work experience while also pursuing their studies. Our commitment to supporting working students remains true today. I’m happy to say that 70 percent of our workforce are working students.”
Many important milestones followed—in 2005, McDonald’s Philippines became 100 percent Filipino owned. Earlier this year, Dr. Yang secured a new-term license to operate McDonald’s in the country for the next 20 years—a strong vote of confidence for the leadership and stewardship of Dr. Yang and Kenneth Yang.
The new-term license also came at a time of accelerated growth, with the company opening and operating stores in virtually all provinces in the country, bringing the McDonald’s experience closer to every Filipino.
“We continue to build on the exceptional McDonald’s experience that our customers have grown up with and continue to love,” said Kenneth Yang. “Because our operations are guided by our strong values and our passion for excellence, we are confident that our customers can enjoy the same great-tasting and high-quality food, and the same top-notch customer service in any of our 800-plus stores nationwide.”
McDonald’s Philippines is the only quick service restaurant (QSR) that practices direct hiring, and today, it continues to invest heavily in direct local employment and talent development. Since 1981, McDonald’s has practiced non-contractualization, promising job security and growth opportunities for its over 70,000-strong talent pool. Each McDonald’s employee, regardless of age, background, or gender, has the opportunity to upskill through a world-class and holistic training and development curriculum that benefits them professionally, within the company and beyond. Just this year, McDonald’s Philippines has been named Employer of the Year by the People Management Association of the Philippines—a testament to the company’s exceptional employment and talent development standards.
McDonald’s Philippines also remains committed to making an impact in local communities, not only by contributing to socioeconomic activity, but also through environmental and sustainability programs under the Green & Good platform, as well as programs that drive positive impact in communities, through the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
