MANILA, PHILIPPINES – McDonald’s is proving that a first job doesn’t have to be a last resort or a dead-end. Ahead of a major nationwide expansion into provinces and cities outside Metro Manila, including at least 70 new stores, McDonald’s Philippines is doubling down on its commitment to being a preferred employer, with its 2025 campaign, “Easy Maging Best Me.”
The expansion will require thousands of new hires: 30,000 new service crew, 3,000 management trainees, and 80 Restaurant Support Center (head office) employees. But more than just filling vacancies, McDonald’s is looking for people who want to grow, not just with the company, but in life.
For students who need flexible hours and fair pay while pursuing their education, McDonald’s has long been a trusted first employer. More than just a part-time job, it offers a fun and supportive workplace built on the values of being customer-driven, showing malasakit, acting with integrity, working as a team, and striving for excellence. These values help create an environment where personal and professional growth are encouraged. Unlike many in the industry, McDonald’s offers regularization and has practiced direct hiring since day one of operating in Manila, providing employees with job security and a clear career path. At the core of its employer brand is a simple but powerful belief: stability can be the first step to success.
This idea has evolved over the years, beginning with 2023’s “Best Me” campaign, which spotlighted everyday crew members turning their dreams into reality. “My Best Me Is Here” followed in 2024, reminding audiences of the fun and vibrant workplace McDo offers. Then came “Easy Maging Best Me,” highlighting how McDonald’s empowers people from all walks of life to thrive. Now, the message is clearer than ever: working at McDo helps you become your best self, and this year’s campaign proves just that. Across all these campaigns, McDo featured real employees, adding authenticity and heart to the message.
Created by TBWA\SMP, the campaign centers around a heartfelt video hosted by award-winning broadcast journalist Rico Hizon, who proudly shares that he, too, was once a McDonald’s crew member. In the film, Rico reconnects with fellow former crew members who have gone on to pursue different paths but share one thing in common: they credit their McDonald’s days for shaping who they are.
Among them is Tess Lopez, now an Assistant Vice President at a major toy retailer, who learned early on the value of being customer driven. Director Real Florido picked up the lesson that success is a team sport, “Walang nag-sasucceed mag-isa” a mindset he carries with him on every film set until today. Volleyball player Cha Perdigon highlighted the spirit of malasakit, recalling how she learned to treat coworkers like family. Eric Castro, who has been with McDonald’s for over 30 years, rose through the ranks thanks to the company’s many training and growth programs.
And Rico himself? “Honesty and integrity,” he says, were the cornerstones of his McDo crew experience, values that guided his journey to becoming one of the most respected names in journalism.
The campaign rolled out across multiple platforms with bite-sized stories on social media and radio spots reaching audiences nationwide. This ensures the stories resonate with both job seekers and their communities, inspiring more people to see McDonald’s as a first step toward a brighter future.
Tying it all together is a fitting full-circle moment, the campaign video was directed by Joel Limchoc, a celebrated filmmaker who, like his cast, also began at McDonald’s. In 1990, while still in high school, he worked at the Las Piñas store, taking orders, preparing food, and even serving as the store’s in-house visual artist for events.
He observed a common thread among the cast: a genuine sense of pride. “All of them said it with heart ‘Dati akong McDo crew.’ And that deep sense of belonging is what made their stories so powerful.”
For Limchoc, directing this film was more than just a job, it was personal. “McDo gave me my first taste of the real world. It helped me become the best version of myself. That’s something I carry to this day.”
Through this campaign, McDonald’s shows that every success story starts somewhere, and for some, it begins here. Whether you end up behind a camera, in a boardroom, or on a volleyball court, McDonald’s can be the first step to your best self.
