MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Nowadays, children are more focused on digital-based learning, with many provided with gadgets such as cellphones and tablets. The majority of them heavily rely on online content produced by Western countries.
When I was a kid, I was always excited to drop by the bookstore at the mall every weekend, as my parents would buy me books and let me choose which story I would read for the week. There were the classic alamat (legend) books, as well as stories about talking animals, but one thing’s for sure: despite being fictional, they made sense, as they taught me valuable life lessons.
At a time when technology is so deeply embedded in daily life, Jollibee, in partnership with Adarna House, is bringing back that sense of nostalgia for the new generation with an exciting collaboration called Kids Values Meal — a combination of classic food favorites paired with beautifully written and illustrated Values Books and fun activities that teach children core Filipino values and help them apply the lessons they’ve learned.
Going back to the basics of Filipino values
adobo Magazine got an exclusive look at the launch of the Jollibee Kids Values Meal, held at the Museo Pambata, Manila, on August 5, 2025. The event was attended by children who got to witness and experience this collaboration first-hand.
Also present were Jollibee Philippines partners for this initiative, including the Department of Education led by Secretary Sonny Angara; Adarna House led by Asa Montenejo and Ani Almario; the Jollibee Group Foundation; and Museo Pambata. Jollibee ambassadors and celebrity couple Iya Villania-Arellano and Drew Arellano were also in attendance, and were joined by their children Primo, Leon, and Alana.
During her opening remarks, Jollibee Philippines VP and Head of Marketing Dorothy Dee-Ching noted that it’s more important than ever to go back to basics — and those basics are values, as they shape how children treat one another and form the foundation for how they grow into adults who will eventually contribute to society.
“We’re really very excited to officially launch the Jollibee Kids Values Meal. It’s an offering specially designed to make values learning fun, engaging, and rewarding for everybody,” Dorothy said.
Interactive books with stories and illustrations that are Filipino-centered
For children ages four to six, the Department of Education prioritizes building a strong ethical foundation through individual and social values: Magalang (Respect), Matapat (Honesty), Mapagbigay (Generosity), Responsable (Responsibility), and Malasakit sa Kalikasan (Compassion for the Environment).
Adarna House released five exclusive books for this collaboration that match the social values:
- “Ang Bola ng Katotohanan” (The Ball of Truth) — Story by Divine Gil Reyes, Illustrated by Harry Monzon
- “Ang Hari ng Palaruan” (The King of the Playground) — Story by Divine Gil Reyes, Illustrated by Benjor Catindig
- “Ang Pinakamasayang Pista” (The Happiest Fiesta) — Story by Russell Molina, Illustrated by Kim Alexis Santiago
- “Ang Naghihintay na Homework” (The Waiting Homework) — Story by Russell Molina, Illustrated by Dominic Agsaway
- “Mga Kaibigan ng Kalikasan” (Friends of Nature) — Story by Russell Molina, Illustrated by Jamie Bauza
In addition to the books, this new offering is also interactive — not only for children, but also for their parents — as it comes with badges that can be used to reward kids who are able to apply the values they’ve learned in real life.
To celebrate the launch, Jollibee announced that, together with Adarna House, they are donating 10,000 Jollibee Kids Values Meals to 100 schools across the Philippines in partnership with DepEd, as a way to give back and bring the joy of learning values to more communities.
Raising a generation of children that are not only smart but lives by Filipino values
Dorothy later noted in an exclusive interview that, as a proudly Filipino brand, it’s important for Jollibee to recognize the role they play in helping shape the next generation. She emphasized that they want children to be not just smart, but also honest, respectful, responsible, and more.
“We want to start them now, because during their formative years, we want to teach the kids the right values so that when they grow up, they become better individuals, better citizens of this country, and better stewards of the environment,” Dorothy said.
The collaboration between Jollibee and Adarna House
Speaking about how the collaboration came to be, Dorothy revealed that when the project was still in its conceptual stage, they were considering who to partner with. And when it came to Filipino literature, it was a no-brainer to tap Adarna House.
“What we did was we actually had a meeting of minds, in terms of the conceptual development, we had a lot of collaborative back and forth, also in terms of the writing, the illustrations, until we came up with this product that we are so proud of,” she added.
Adarna House Vice President for Product Development Ani Almario noted that collaborating with a brand as iconic as Jollibee brought unique opportunities. She highlighted the importance of accuracy in every detail — from illustrations to characters and mascots — to ensure the brand’s integrity was upheld.
“Jollibee is a really iconic brand, and they’re very careful about their brand, so it was challenging to follow all the guidelines up to the part that we have to portray the illustrations, the characters, the mascots, very accurately,” Ani said.
When it comes to choosing the values, Ani shared that they reflect a beautiful alignment between Adarna House and Jollibee, both driven by the belief that these timeless lessons must be passed on to today’s generation of children for them not to be forgotten.
“We also thought that these values are relevant and necessary. We’re glad that these are the values that are featured in this series,” Ani said.
Ani further discussed that the role of printed books is important as children are always enthralled when they see a printed material and they will always “want to engage in reading and storytelling.”
Jollibee and Adarna House as two household names that promote Filipino culture
This is the first time Adarna House and Jollibee have partnered, but for Ani, the collaboration is significant as both are Filipino household brands that have remained committed to promoting the Filipino language and culture.
“It’s important that brands like that work together and amplify our mission even more. So feeling ko significant ito and sana it’s just the first of many,” Ani concluded.
Through their partnership, Jollibee and Adarna House are proving that the best way to prepare children for the real world is to equip them with values that stand the test of time. By blending the classic Jollibee meals with timeless stories that shape character, both brands are planting seeds that will grow far beyond the pages of a book — nurturing a generation that is not only smart but also keeps the values and practices them in their daily lives.
