We are now accepting for A.Y. 2023 – 2024: Give your child the Montessori advantage for life beyond school!
Welcome to O.B. Montessori Center
The Pioneer of Montessori Education in the Philippines
At the core of Operation Brotherhood Montessori Center (OBMC) is the mission of guiding the intellectual, spiritual, and social growth of children. Our prepared environment for learning sets us apart from other Montessori-based private schools in the Philippines. In this environment, our students learn from a uniquely tailored curriculum that helps them become independent, responsible, and discerning young men and women as they grow from childhood to adolescence. Check out our academic and innovative programs! See how we, the pioneer of Montessori education in the Philippines since 1966, can transform your child.
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Academic Programs
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Extracurricular Activities
Our Distinguished Alumni
As the Chief Operating Officer of O.B. Montessori Center, Sara Soliven-De Guzman is the keeper of a sacred trust: the bright future of the students under her charge.
It seems almost ironic that Lea Salonga started her career with the album, “Small Voice,” when it was her powerful vocal instrument, that catapulted her to worldwide fame as Kim in Miss Saigon.
Running a restaurant is challenging work. Multiply that by a factor of six and you’ll have an idea what Chef Vicky Pacheco deals with on a daily basis.
Despite having a world-famous singer for a sister, Gerard Salonga has charted his own course in the field of music. He is the music director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, he writes, arranges, composes, and conducts.
The OPM band Rivermaya may have been the starting point of his stardom, but Rico Blanco is not one to rest on his laurels. Striking out on his own in 2008 with the solo album Your Universe,
The pursuit and practice of medicine requires focus, determination, and talent. These qualities that have served Erika Chua well in her path toward being the doctor she wants to be. Erika graduated as magna cum laude in B.S. Sports Science from the University of Santo Tomas and earned the University's highest academic citation,
Maico Buncio lived by the credo of every O.B. Montessori student: “Seipsum Facit Persona” (Man Makes Himself). A motocross prodigy at the age of 3, he rose up the ranks of the local motocross and road racing scene, a legend on the racetrack who, at the height of his career, was named Philippine Superbike National Champion four times.
Karylle’s singing career began in 2001 with the album “Time to Shine,” which proved self-fulfilling as the album earned her wins from the Awit Awards, Aliw Awards, and MTV Philippines.
This young actress, recording artist, model and host has successfully moved from under the shadow of her showbiz father and grandmother. She has made a name for herself in the industry she was born into.
Skagit County in Washington is lucky to count O.B. Montessori alum Rico Romano as one of its resident doctors. Aside from being a practicing physician within the area, Dr. Romano performs several roles within the Skagit Regional Health System.
If you haven’t seen Shiela Valderrama’s performance as Kapitana Mary Jane in the Filipino hit musical RAK of Aegis, you’d better hope they hold another run. Her smashing performance earned her a Best Actress nomination from the 2016 Gawad Awards as well as the adulation of theater fans.
One of the most refreshing faces on the ABS-CBN News Channel, Ai dela Cruz is a joy to watch. As an anchor for the show @ANC Alerts, she has found a way to attract a younger, millennial audience in a channel that normally caters to an older set, delivering the news in a more relatable fashion.
You can’t just join KPMG, one of the “Big Four” auditors in the world, unless you truly know your stuff. Aira does. A consistent academic performer in the field of accounting, she holds double Cum Laude bachelor’s degrees in Accountancy and in Applied Economics, placing fifth in the CPA licensure exams.
While she hasn’t been a dentist all that long, Dr. Elgimaine Barroso is someone who can definitely bring a smile to your face. Her talent and ethic serves her well as she balances her clinic work at the Barroso Dental Clinic with her hospital dentistry work at the UP-PGH Externship Program.
You could say that Harold Cruz has a passion for fuel, having put in some ten years of his professional career into petrochemical and manufacturing facilities around the world.
Jayvie Agojo made her mark at 16 as the youngest member of the National Golf Association of the Philippines. She was also ranked the No.1 junior women’s player in the country. She is also a 3-time winner of the Outstanding Women’s Golfer of the Year from the Philippine Sportswriters Association.
Her designs display a groundbreaking style imbued with her playful aesthetic. All of which have been presented to the world in shows like London Fashion Week and Exclusively By Design in Tokyo.
The world of advertising is a far richer place with Dino Jalandoni in it. A creative leader and deft storyteller, Dino currently holds the Chief Creative Officer position at the agency Publicis Taiwan.
Having worked in the money market for close to twenty years, Ginger Aventajado can probably tell you a thing or two about the ins-and-outs of the money market.
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O.B. Montessori Center in Angeles started out in two separate locations: first in the Lacson mansion on Sto. Entierro Street, then to a house owned by Amanda Serrano-Joven at the Villa Gloria Subdivision. It was an answer to the call to bring the system to the American children living on Clark Field airbase during the 1960s. However, Dr. Soliven wanted to have the school outside of the base so other children could also benefit from learning the Montessori way.
The present campus along McArthur highway nestles gently among residential homes in a quiet area in Angeles City. Right next to it is a homey little sari-sari store with hedges of ornamentals. Across the campus are private residences. In the distance, one can glimpse rice fields and the serene Mt. Arayat. The 5-story building boasts of modern facilities. An air of laid back genteelity pervades the campus. Nowhere is this more evident than in the spacious Teatro Maximo, a multi-purpose theater at the top floor with a seating capacity of more than 1,000. A spacious lobby is decorated with period photographs of the late Maximo Soliven, as well as framed poems that the journalist-statesman penned to the twin loves of his life: the Mother Country and, of course, his wife Preciosa. These touches make the theater lobby feel a bit like an ancestral home.
This European-inspired campus, with its French windows and murals, also serves as the headquarters for the school administration. It started as a row of apartment houses in the 1970s owned by Gen. Alfonso Arellano. These were restructured into a modern school complex that accommodates the highest number of students among the five campuses, offering the most advanced facilities.
Totally unique to the Greenhills campus is the huge and colorful sculptural tableaux at its entrance called the Holy Family Shrine, established in 1994 to celebrate the International Year of the Family. The open courtyard has a nipa hut that can actually be lived in. It is called the Mothercraft house. More than just a nod to Filipiniana, it is the place where mothers participating in the school’s outreach program learn crafts. There is a distinct sense of Pinoy pride all over the campus: in paintings, objects, and especially in the activities. The bright and spacious modern classrooms are conducive to learning, with facilities for creating a well-rounded educational experience for its students. An outstanding feature of the Greenhills campus is the Maria Montessori Hall, a multi-purpose theater space on the 8th floor. The space is home to PE activities, group work, and school events. It is also the home of the Spectacle, the aptly named OBMC production held every two years.
Fairview is the only campus that was built entirely from the ground up back in 2010. It was given a more modern touch by its team of architects and designers, deviating from the look of the other campuses that embodied elements of their former incarnations with touches of the eras in which they were built and a European architectural influence. Fairview was given a modern Asian look. Its planning follows the green building code, using natural ventilation and light in public areas; while LED lights, which are more comfortable for reading, are used in the classrooms.
There is an overall feeling of shiny brightness to this campus, with its wider corridors and a large open central courtyard that allows for natural light to pervade. Clear glass panes allow visitors to look into classrooms without disrupting the students. Staircases have steps calibrated for easier climbing. The 5-story structure houses modern facilities. It has a very chic Bistro Amore, where al fresco dining is a regular experience for the students. A comfortable and child-friendly library with neat shelves of classics and clear-glass cases filled with current periodicals is a rich resource for the school The Teatro Preciosa with its wall of photographs honoring the founder Dr. Preciosa Soliven may well be the sentimental touch, one that reflects the OBMC tradition amidst the contemporary styling.
A row of San Miguel Properties townhouses and an imposing building for highschool house the Las Piñas campus. A gated entrance and driveway lead up to the main building. As one drives in, the multi-purpose hall is also seen. Pocket gardens delineate the distinct areas and walkways. The first and most lasting impression is that of a small, well-ordered campus, connected to, but also separate from, the bustle outside the subdivision.
The unique feature of the campus is its agriculture area, a 6,000 sqm. lot which grows organic vegetables and ornamental plants. The Las Piñas farm was developed with the assistance of Professor Charuphant Thongtham from Kasetsart University, Thailand, and patterned after King Bhumibol Aduyadej’s Self-Sufficiency farm. A staff house for new teachers sits next to the original site, as well as a wood shop where all the Montessori materials used in other campuses are manufactured by hand. OBMC Las Piñas is called the “Green Campus” in the south.
This campus has two conjoined buildings built on old Spanish-style houses. The houses were owned by Marcial Lichauco who had bought the property from a European couple, the O’Briens.
The original heritage structures are still evident in the grand wooden staircases and balusters, the thick beams, machuca tiles and parquet floors, and the arched entrances that are said to have been entryways for the family’s horse-drawn carriages. Grillwork and wood paneling from the original structure also make pleasant surprise appearances. On the first floor, one domed space (probably a kamalig or storeroom in the past) has been transformed into a prayer room with stained glass windows. This is a quiet space for reflection where students and faculty can come for strength and solace. Together with 19th-century-themed paintings from the Soliven family collection, these elements bolster OBMC Sta. Ana’s claim to the title “The Heritage Campus.” These touches become all the more endearing when juxtaposed against the modern classrooms and laboratories. Beyond heritage, there is a real sense of future and dynamism in this campus. The constant growth and development of the campus is best exemplified by the Foro Romano, a multi-purpose hall for sports and other school activities. The new structure stands facing the old stables, on what may have been the home’s original garden.
O.B. Montessori recognizes that online learning isn't simply a matter of getting in front of a camera and talking. This is why we are taking great care in adapting our signature Montessori curriculum for online use.
Our online learning curriculum is the result of continual consulting, preparation, and workshops – all for the sake of adapting to a new method of teaching in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
– Our teachers have been trained specifically for online classes by none other than Palanca award-winning director Floy Quintos.
– Our equipment and internet connections have been upgraded to handle the demanding technological requirements of teaching online.
– Our individual student portals are easy to navigate, with a home feed page that keeps students updated and helps them keep track of academic requirements and activities.
– Class hours have been adjusted to age-appropriate periods to ensure optimal learning experiences across all levels.
– Students are enriched throughout the school year by in-house Montessori videos of lessons and activities.
– Home-based activities (e.g., homework, drills, projects, and others) are geared toward helping students learn crucial academic and life skills.
– A strong school-home partnership that is unique to O.B. Montessori cares for students’ mental health and personality development.
The ‘6th campus’ of O.B. Montessori Center is our online learning platform. It brings the Montessori education into the digital world and into your homes.
This one-stop digital platform is where our students from around the world can attend classes, view grades, and more.
Online classes are done via livestreaming, customized in-house videos, online assessments, and scheduled consultations with professional teachers, to ensure the maximum learning of every student.
It seems almost ironic that Lea Salonga started her career with the album, “Small Voice,” when it was her powerful vocal instrument, that catapulted her to worldwide fame as Kim in Miss Saigon. Her extensive work in musical theater has garnered her awards such as the Tony and the Olivier. Lea is a bonafide “Disney Legend,” having provided the singing voice to Princess Jasmine and Mulan. She continues to help and inspire the youth as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, working as an advocate for its Youth and UN Global Alliance initiative.
Despite having a world-famous singer for a sister, Gerard Salonga has charted his own course in the field of music. He is the music director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, he writes, arranges, composes, and conducts. With 4 Aliw Awards for Best Musical Director under his belt, he has also won 2 Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards for his work in West Side Story and Sweeney Todd. A 2011 TOYM awardee, Gerard is currently one of the two new assistant conductors with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, where he will be working with the acclaimed Maestro Jaap van Zweden and Hong Kong's Vivian Ip.
The OPM band Rivermaya may have been the starting point of his stardom, but Rico Blanco is not one to rest on his laurels. Striking out on his own in 2008 with the solo album Your Universe, Rico has won Vocalist of the Year at the 2008 NU Rock Awards, OPM Solo Artist of the Year from RX93.1, and Best New Artist at the 2009 MYX Music Awards. A true creative, he continues to pursue music with a relentless passion even as he has branched out into acting on stage and screen.
The pursuit and practice of medicine requires focus, determination, and talent. These qualities that have served Erika Chua well in her path toward being the doctor she wants to be. Erika graduated as magna cum laude in B.S. Sports Science from the University of Santo Tomas and earned the University's highest academic citation, the Rector's Academic Excellence Award. Since then, she relentlessly pursued her medical degree, finishing cum laude in 2014. Her work and internship experience at hospitals like the Philippine General Hospital, the UST Hospital, and rural health centers like the Rural Health Unit in Amadeo, Cavite have honed her capability to diagnose and treat patients from different walks of life.
Maico Buncio lived by the credo of every O.B. Montessori student: “Seipsum Facit Persona” (Man Makes Himself). A motocross prodigy at the age of 3, he rose up the ranks of the local motocross and road racing scene, a legend on the racetrack who, at the height of his career, was named Philippine Superbike National Champion four times. Driven, talented, and passionate for his sport, he suffered a tragic crash during a qualifier at the Clark International Speedway Racing Circuit—dying as he lived, doing what he loved best.
Karylle’s singing career began in 2001 with the album “Time to Shine,” which proved self-fulfilling as the album earned her wins from the Awit Awards, Aliw Awards, and MTV Philippines. Her succeeding albums were also recognized by critics and made Karylle a household name in the country. She shot to international success as Maddie in the international Asian TV series The Kitchen Musical, which earned her a nomination for Best Actress in the 52nd Monte Carlo TV Festival.
This young actress, recording artist, model and host has successfully moved from under the shadow of her showbiz father and grandmother. She has made a name for herself in the industry she was born into. Carla’s breakout lead role in the telenovela Rosalinda earned her the Television Best New Actress award in the PMPC Star Awards and paved the way for acclaimed performances in both television and film.
Skagit County in Washington is lucky to count O.B. Montessori alum Rico Romano as one of its resident doctors. Aside from being a practicing physician within the area, Dr. Romano performs several roles within the Skagit Regional Health System. This includes being Chief of Medicine at Skagit Regional Health and Chair of Primary Care in Sedro Woolley. Dr. Romano is also the Adjunct Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. In addition, he is a part of the Graduate Medical Education Core Faculty at Skagit's Internal Medicine Residency Program. He also plays a huge part in training the next generation of doctors.
If you haven’t seen Shiela Valderrama’s performance as Kapitana Mary Jane in the Filipino hit musical RAK of Aegis, you’d better hope they hold another run. Her smashing performance earned her a Best Actress nomination from the 2016 Gawad Awards as well as the adulation of theater fans. As a seasoned theater actress and singer with over thirty productions under her belt both here and abroad, she’s an entertainer extraordinaire.
One of the most refreshing faces on the ABS-CBN News Channel, Ai dela Cruz is a joy to watch. As an anchor for the show @ANC Alerts, she has found a way to attract a younger, millennial audience in a channel that normally caters to an older set, delivering the news in a more relatable fashion. She lets her personality come to the fore on the MYX music channel, where she’s been a VJ since 2013, and as the host for Pinoy Boyband Superstar Online.
You can’t just join KPMG, one of the “Big Four” auditors in the world, unless you truly know your stuff. Aira does. A consistent academic performer in the field of accounting, she holds double Cum Laude bachelor’s degrees in Accountancy and in Applied Economics, placing fifth in the CPA licensure exams. Her theses in both courses earned her recognition from the DLSU, the thesis in Accountancy earning a Best Undergraduate Thesis win. She currently holds an Assistant Manager position in KPMG's Advisory Services, where she evaluates data pertaining to deals, consult on risk management, governance review and internal audit and compliance.
While she hasn’t been a dentist all that long, Dr. Elgimaine Barroso is someone who can definitely bring a smile to your face. Her talent and ethic serves her well as she balances her clinic work at the Barroso Dental Clinic with her hospital dentistry work at the UP-PGH Externship Program. After being awarded Best in Endodontics during her UPCD graduation, she placed fourth in her 2015 board exams.
You could say that Harold Cruz has a passion for fuel, having put in some ten years of his professional career into petrochemical and manufacturing facilities around the world. Holding both a degree in civil engineering and an MBA, he has worked as project engineer in projects such as the Malampaya Deep-Water Gas-to-Power Project in Palawan. His work has taken him as far as Kurdistan in Iraq and Dickinson in North Dakota. He placed 7th in his Civil Engineering Licensure Exam in 2006.
Jayvie Agojo made her mark at 16 as the youngest member of the National Golf Association of the Philippines. She was also ranked the No.1 junior women’s player in the country. She is also a 3-time winner of the Outstanding Women’s Golfer of the Year from the Philippine Sportswriters Association. As a scholar at Pepperdine University, she was a force to be reckoned with on West Coast greens, constantly part of the All-WCC first team selection and two-time medalist at the WCC Championships. She continues to shine as a professional golfer, competing, and winning, both here and abroad.
The world of advertising is a far richer place with Dino Jalandoni in it. A creative leader and deft storyteller, Dino currently holds the Chief Creative Officer position at the agency Publicis Taiwan. With over 50 international and regional awards under his belt, including nods from London International, ADFEST, New York Festival, and Kidlat. Dino has been a mentor for the many creative teams he has worked with both here and in Taiwan, ensuring that the next generation of advertising professionals continue to excel.
Having worked in the money market for close to twenty years, Ginger Aventajado can probably tell you a thing or two about the ins-and-outs of the money market. She currently serves as the Deputy Treasurer of the Manila branch of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, where she heads the bank’s foreign exchange, money market, derivatives and treasury desks. A cum laude Economics graduate from the University of the Philippines in Clark Field, Pampanga, she is married with 2 children.
Preschool & Kindergarten (3-6 years old) “Period of Transformation” It is during this time when the child, beginning from his psychic life at zero, forms a personality of his own and develops his own will and intelligence. This period of transformation is divided into two parts: ages 0 to 3 and 3 to 6. It is characterized by the presence of a conscious “absorbent mind,” which allows the child to consciously and willingly learn from his environment. The Casa Department is divided into three (3) levels: Junior Casa corresponds to Nursery 1. This level consists of children aged 3 to 4 years old. Junior Advanced Casa corresponds to Nursery 2. This level consists of children aged 4 to 5 years old. Advanced Casa corresponds to Kindergarten. This level consists of children aged 5 to 6 years old. The Casa Curriculum uses 177 hands-on apparata for Practical Life, Sensorial Arts, Language, Mathematics, and Cultural Arts (divided into Botany, Zoology, History, and Geography) lessons or learning activities.
The second stage of development from 6 to 9 years old is a “period of uniform growth.” This period is characterized by great strength and robustness of the body and mind. During these years, children are capable of accomplishing a great deal of mental work. Socially, it is marked by the development of the “herd instinct” where children seek each other’s company and form themselves into groups. Morally, this is when the tendency to examine the right and wrong of actions is most expressed and the development of the conscience takes place.
The Cosmic Curriculum of the Grade School follows Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy of helping the child to realize he is part of the universe and he has a special role to play in it. It teaches the child to appreciate his creation from the atom, plants, and animals to the coming of man. It also teaches children the universal responsibility of mankind: to care for life.
The third stage of development is adolescence. The refinement of the personality takes place as the adolescent prepares to enter adulthood. He is filled with creative energy, begins to acquire confidence, and intensely seeks economic independence. This is the period when emotion, no longer intelligence, becomes operational in his preparation for adult responsibility. Adolescence is characterized by emotional, psychological, and social transformation; when self-consciousness is heightened and requires the performing arts, sports, and para-military training activities to transform timidity into self-confidence.
Senior High School corresponds to Grades 11 and 12. This level consists of students aged 17 to 18 years old.
OBMC’s innovative programs are designed to holistically equip the child for creativity and productivity toward self-sufficiency—Seipsum facit persona (Man makes himself).
Agriculture is a practical application of lessons learned in Botany and Zoology. It deals with the classification of the different kinds of plants, how to take care of them and propagate them in different environments suitable for their growth. Care of animals and how they are raised (quails, chicken, ducks) are also taken up. Children are encouraged to sell agricultural products such as fresh vegetables, dish gardens, full-grown chickens, and quail eggs to instill a sense of economic independence.
Home Arts provide the basic knowledge and skills a child must know within his home environment. He learns not only how to cook properly, but also to consider the economic value of the food he prepares. Good housekeeping and family care are also taught. In this subject, good grooming, personal hygiene, and health are taken up with emphasis on personality development.
Technology and Livelihood Education provides activities for the development of economic independence through the acquisition of the competencies or skills in cooking, bread and pastry production, food and beverage service, and food processing. Practical exercises in business are made possible through the Food Fair and Minimart, Rainbow Catering Club for birthday parties, and apprenticeship work at the school’s bistros and corporate events such as the Formal Dining Activity.
Leadership Training, Citizenship Advancement Training (C.A.T.), and Law on Persons develop the adolescent’s degree of self-discipline through the Honor Code and a better understanding of his rights and obligations as a social being. It also develops his patriotism and duty to country and an awareness of his role in disaster prevention and preparedness in the home and community. It ultimately aims to develop leaders of character, honor, and excellence.
