STA. BARBARA, Iloilo – One of the Philippines’ leading Montessori institutions, The Abba’s Orchard, is set to open its first-ever campus in Iloilo inside Sta. Barbara Heights, the 173-hectare township developed by Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), a subsidiary of property giant Megaworld.
Scheduled to open in school year 2026–2027, the campus will occupy a one-hectare, tree-covered site at the heart of the township. It will initially offer CASA (ages 3–6) and Elementary Level 1 (Grades 1 to 3) programs, with long-term plans to expand into the Erdkinder level, a distinctive adolescent Montessori curriculum that blends academic learning with real-world, farm-based experiences.
“Welcoming The Abba’s Orchard to Sta. Barbara Heights reflects our commitment to building communities that go beyond residential living. Integrating a premier Montessori institution into the township strengthens our vision for Sta. Barbara Heights as a fully integrated, future-ready lifestyle community. This partnership not only enhances the township’s appeal to families but also raises the bar for education in Iloilo and its surrounding areas,” said Monica T. Salomon, GERI President.
Founded in 1999 by Chris and Ann Barrameda, The Abba’s Orchard has established itself as one of the Philippines’ leading Montessori school networks, renowned for its faithful implementation of Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational philosophy.
With a strong emphasis on child-led learning in carefully prepared environments, the school cultivates independence, curiosity, and responsibility among students from infancy through adolescence. Today, it operates 14 Montessori campuses across Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — including the pioneering La Granja Montessori farm school in Bukidnon, the first of its kind in Asia.
“We hope to bring an authentic Montessori school system to Iloilo — one that truly engages the child. In many traditional schools, you don’t always see the joy of learning. But in Montessori environments, we witness children excited to attend class and, as a result, we also see happy parents as well. This is the kind of meaningful experience we are bringing to Sta. Barbara Heights and the surrounding communities in Iloilo,” shares Joseph Christopher Barrameda, founding director of The Abba’s Orchard.
Sta. Barbara Heights is a master-planned lifestyle community that will feature a vibrant town center, a proposed business park, and multiple residential villages, with seamless connectivity via a direct access road leading to the Iloilo International Airport through the Iloilo International Avenue. The township’s strategic location near key landmarks — including the historic Sta. Barbara Church and the Iloilo Golf Course and Country Club — offers a unique blend of cultural heritage and modern living./PN
