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| PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications equipped McDonald's Philippines Night Classrooms nationwide with FREE WiFi to boost the learning experience of teachers and students. In the photo marking their partnership are (from left) Marketing Director Ashley Santillan, Local Store Marketing Manager Michael Dungca, and Local Store Marketing Director Fidel Balbieran for McDonald's Philippines; and AVP and Head of Smart Broadband and Consumer WiFi James R. Jorge, AVP and Head of Smart Consumer WiFi & Mobile Advertising Anton V. Agustin and Smart Consumer WiFi & Mobile Advertising Manager Martin N. Cervantes for Smart Communications. (Image Source: Smart Communications) |
For the third year, PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) teamed up with McDonald’s Philippines in its thrust to provide teachers and students with a safe and conducive learning space outside their schools, this time by opening its doors to the 'Night Classroom' in 60 participating stores nationwide. The 'Night Classroom' is an offshoot of the McDonald's Classroom which started in 2020 wherein approximately 250 unused party rooms were converted into spaces for teachers and students to conduct their virtual classes and fulfill their online learning needs.
Now that schools have reopened, McDonald’s Philippines tweaked the project to cater to those who need a suitable place to do their homework, prepare their lessons, and research online beyond school hours. In support of the project, Smart provided McDonald's Philippines with Smart Bro Pocket WiFi units to make sure that Night Classroom participants could connect online and make the most of the Philippines' fastest and best mobile network as recognized by Ookla, the global leader in mobile and network broadband intelligence. Powered by Smart, McDo Night Classroom participants enjoyed a worry-free online learning experience - from being able to upload and download heavy files in seconds, surf the web for information in an instant, and stream virtual classes without buffering. From its launch on March 28 until May 31, the McDonald's Night Classroom project benefited over 20,000 participants at 60 McDonald's branches nationwide, making a positive impact on the life of teachers and students.
“McDonald’s has always been a safe and trusted space to create feel-good moments for all — whether you’re a family celebrating a birthday, an employee getting their coffee fix before work, or a student looking for a place to pull an all-nighter. Students have already been treating McDonald’s as their go-to place for meetings or study sessions so the McDonald’s Night Classroom is our special way of supporting them with their schoolwork,” said McDonald's Philippines Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Oliver Rabatan. “We recognize the huge role of mobile technology in making education more accessible and bringing the world of learning to one’s fingertips. This partnership allowed us to work hand in hand to create connected and safe spaces for learning and help students and teachers achieve academic success. It's our pleasure to provide free WiFi access at McDonald's Night Classrooms nationwide for uninterrupted work and study sessions," said Smart AVP and Head for Consumer WiFi & Mobile Advertising Anton Agustin.
