McDonald’s Philippines releases P500-M fund for employees, community assistance

Golden Arches Development Corp. (McDonald’s Philippines) on Friday said it has set aside half-a-billion pesos in financial assistance for its employees and the immediate community where its stores are located.

In a statement, George Yang-led McDonald’s Philippines announced the release of a response fund of P500 million pesos “to enable the company to provide assistance for its employees and communities it serves.”

This as “the situation on COVID-19 remains to be uncertain,” according to the McDonald’s master-franchise holder.

The fund is in response to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

For company employees, McDonald’s Philippines said the fund covers:

- Restaurant crew and managers whether they are unable to come to work or not, and head office employees’ salaries to be released for the period of the quarantine.

- A special premium pay package will be provided for crew and managers who are able to come to work in selected stores that remain open to serve the community in enhanced quarantine areas.

- Special benefits like provision of care kits (face masks, alcohol and vitamins) to ensure employee safety in the workplace as well as provisions for premium pay.

For communities, it said, the fund covers food to be donated by the company to front liners like medical health workers, LGU workers, NGO volunteers, and the marginalized sector who are challenged to have access to food during this time.

“Amidst any crisis, people must come first; we do what we can to ensure their welfare. We also have a responsibility to our partners to ensure that they can continue doing business and be able to care for their own people. Finally, as a Filipino company, we have a duty to be a partner of the government in serving the public in whatever way we can,” Yang said. -MDM, GMA News