McDonald’s Grand Reunion Brings People Back Together for the Holidays

Many Filipinos look forward to Christmas more than any other holiday. It's time for long-awaited grand reunions, in which family and friends reunite after months or even years away. It is one of the most popular traditions in the country. However, not everyone has the opportunity to plan such gatherings. Some people spend the holidays apart from their families, missing out on the joys of being together.

“By creating spaces where groups can once again gather meaningfully, McDonald’s taps directly into the Filipino cultural values of pagsasama-sama, pagsasalo-salo, and gratitude. It offers a simple yet heartfelt reminder that those who help make Christmas special for others deserve their own celebration too.” ~Ada Lazaro, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Philippines

This year, McDonald's Philippines plans to bridge that gap by providing free celebrations to specific communities. Known as "Grand Reunion at McDo," this statewide holiday initiative will transform select McDonald's Party Rooms into festive settings for meaningful reunions taking place simultaneously across the country, restoring the warmth of the season to those who need it the most.

How to be part of McDonalds’ Grand Reunion

Customers are asked to go to McDonald's Philippines' Facebook site and share their story on the Grand Reunion post, including why they want to get together, what has kept them apart, and why their friendship is worth celebrating. McDonald's will welcome parties of up to 10 individuals on December 8 from 2-4pm, with two groups per party room for a total of 20 guests.

Aside from having a pleasant and unique story, participants will be picked based on how their stories embody the spirit of community over the holiday season. Participants can select their preferred McDonald's location.

Each party will receive boxes of Honey Butter Chicken McDo, which will be augmented with a "shake, tear, and sprinkle" event featuring Garlic Parmesan and Snow Cheese Powder. It's a simple ritual that elevates the meal to a shared experience. A McDonald's "Happiness Host" will also be present, not simply to lead light games or toasts, but also to make the gathering feel more communal and memorable.

Reinforcing Filipino values

Lazaro added the initiative aims to reinforce Filipino values of bonding and connection during the Christmas season by offering a venue for meaningful reunions.

For more information about McDonald’s Philippines, visit www.mcdonalds.com.ph, McDo.ph on Meta, on Instagram, and on X. 

Above the Law? Billionaire Directors, San Juan Judge Face Contempt Charges for Defying Supreme Court Directive

The billionaire directors of the Wack Wack Residents Association, Inc. (WWRAI), namely Jeffrey C. Keng; Miguel Angelo S. Silverio; Maize Frances S. Qua; Shirley M. Ty; Juan Miguel J. Araneta; Lakan-asa R. Bautista; William John P. Demyer; Ramon Jose C. Galang; and, Manuel B. Sy and the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 264 in San Juan City, Judge Ma. Christina De Pio Lim, are facing contempt charges for allegedly violating a Supreme Court order in connection with the long-standing AMA Tower dispute.

The Supreme Court, in G.R. No. 252776, remanded the case to the San Juan RTC solely for the purpose of hearing WWRAI’s monetary counterclaims against the developers of the AMA Tower. The High Court made clear that jurisdiction over the legality of the tower’s construction rests exclusively with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Despite this explicit limitation, Judge De Pio Lim allegedly entertained WWRAI’s efforts to revive issues relating to the validity of the construction of the AMA Tower that were previously resolved with finality by the Supreme Court, as well as various other courts and government agencies, and ruled to be outside the RTC’s jurisdiction. This prompted the filing of contempt charges against the WWRAI board for deliberate forum-shopping and both the WWRAI board and Judge De Pio Lim for their alleged defiance of the Supreme Court’s directive. 

The AMA Tower developers have maintained that the AMA Tower’s construction and operations have consistently complied with government regulations and court rulings. They expressed confidence that the justice system will uphold the finality of the Supreme Court’s decisions and put an end to what they describe as nearly three decades of repetitive and baseless litigation initiated by WWRAI.