SEP 08
O.B. Montessori Center (OBMC) is proud to have a teacher whose short story, “An Abandoned Paradise,” is featured in a themed anthology, Dystopia Manila! Ms. Maria Jillian P. Talavera is a Junior High School Science teacher with O.B. Montessori Center–Fairview for almost six years. Her story, “An Abandoned Paradise,” narrates how two students discover abandoned wild creatures that have moved into dystopian Quezon City. The theme centers on how human activities like deforestation have a grave, threatening effect on wild animals and their natural habitats. The topics of climate change, biodiversity, and human impact are close to her heart, and these are the lessons she teaches her Grade 8 students in their Biology class. As a science teacher, she is thankful she can further advocate these environmental concerns through Dystopian Manila! Ms. Talavera is presently writing a science fiction novel for release in 2024. This time, it will focus on students tackling the concerns of farmers and creating solutions in a fictional setup. What message can she give to all OBMC students? “Writing is all about creation,” Ms. Talavera shares. “This can be a way for you to apply what you learn in school or in college in a creative way. Remember that your values will be reflected in your stories and how you finish your stories. And these values are worth sharing. Let the light of your imagination and values shine for all people.” Visit her at the Manila International Book Fair 2023 for her book signing on September 16, 2023. Check out the anthology here. Published by PaperKat Books in 2022, Dystopia Manila is a collection of short stories set in futuristic Manila depicting mind-blowing science, calamities, and possible future scenarios.
