The Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the social development arm of the Jollibee Group, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, marking two decades of forging high-impact partnerships and driving corporate-led solutions to hunger and food insecurity across the Philippines.
Established in 2004, JGF has partnered with more than 500 organizations—spanning government, NGOs, and academic institutions—to build scalable, sustainable programs aimed at increasing food access, empowering farmers, and uplifting vulnerable communities. According to JGF President Gisela Tiongson, the foundation’s work reflects “a force for sharing joy—turning purpose into action and partnerships into impact.”
A hallmark of JGF’s work is the Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT) program, now the Philippines’ largest centralized school feeding initiative. Since 2007, BLT has helped over 270,000 public school children stay in school by addressing hunger-related absenteeism. In 2016, JGF introduced centralized School Feeding Kitchens to streamline delivery, enhance food safety, and complement the Department of Education’s School-Based Feeding Program. The model, now with 41 operational kitchens, has been recognized as a national best practice.
Beyond immediate food relief, JGF also addresses the root causes of hunger through long-term community development. Its Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) has enabled 34 farmer groups to collectively supply over 13 million kilos of fresh produce to Jollibee Group brands, generating more than ₱700 million in incremental income for smallholder farmers since 2008. This inclusive business model integrates farmers into institutional supply chains, bolstered by training, technical support, and a robust network of local partners.
JGF’s impact also extends to disaster response via its FoodAID initiative, and to youth development through the ACE Scholarship Program, which has supported over 3,100 students with education and life skills training for employability.
Looking ahead, Tiongson emphasized that JGF’s 20th anniversary serves not only as a milestone but as a platform for future expansion. “By working together and continuing to innovate, we can extend the reach of our programs and open more opportunities for families to thrive,” she said.
As JGF enters its third decade, the foundation remains a key example of how private sector leadership—grounded in collaboration, innovation, and inclusive growth—can play a pivotal role in addressing systemic social challenges.
