Mobile Legends developer partners with DepEd for 'Balik Eskwela' notebook drive

MANILA, Philippines – Game developer Moonton Games, behind popular game Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB), has partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) and launched a notebook distribution drive, "Balik Eskwela", providing more than 40,000 notebooks to 159 schools in General Trias, Dasmariñas, Quezon Province, San Pablo City and Cavite Province.

The project aimed to support and encourage students in the areas, especially students in need in the upcoming 2024-2025 school year.

"Moonton Games has advocated education as we believe in its importance in providing the foundation for lifelong learning. This donation drive showcases our commitment to helping young students by giving them the resources they need for continuous learning. We thank the Department of Education for this collaboration," said Ken Ryan Lee, community hero and student leader community manager, and game marketing at Moonton Games Philippines.

"We are very much thankful for the partnership initiated by Moonton Games helping our selected learner-recipients in the Calabarzon region. We are grateful [you selected] the education sector through your corporate social responsibility. We look forward to having a long-term partnership with Moonton Games," said Arvin Doloque, DepEd Project Development Officer II of the Bureau of Learner Support Services – Youth Formation Division.

"Balik Eskwela" is Moonton Games’ first step toward forming a long-lasting partnership with DepEd through various educational programs. Previously, the game developer had signed a memorandum of agreement with National University Laguna to foster gaming and esports in the university while developing students' various skill sets which equips them in a career in esports. 

Early this year, Moonton Games also held career talks and creativity workshops for tertiary students of NU Laguna as well as at the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City and last year had spearheaded multiple esports and gaming journalism workshops in partnership with credible esports journalists from top media networks.

Currently, the game developer has its Student Events and Partnerships Program (SEPP), which allows Moonton Games and multiple universities to partner together to host MLBB events in their campus. It also has its weekly Battle Trips with the ongoing Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 14, wherein students from different schools and universities around the country are given firsthand experience about the different opportunities in esports, including production, broadcast, marketing, PR and media.