On one of my trips back to Manila to visit my mom, as is typical of

these trips, we reminisced about my childhood years and naturally, OBMC came up. In the middle of conversation, she stood up, walked over to one of the cabinets in the living room and brought out this plastic envelope that contained a treasure trove of mementos she had carefully kept of my elementary days at OB Montessori—two Supling yearbooks, photos of UN Day parades, the Blockbuster competition I participated in—and my 2nd grade OBMC ID.

As the memories came flooding back of the eight years I spent at OB (both Greenhills and Sta. Ana campuses), one event stood out in my memory—being chosen to demonstrate dissecting a chicken for Biology during Foundation Day—and how that class formed the

goal in my mind that I wanted to become a surgeon—not a cardiologist or a pediatrician, but a surgeon.

Fast forward some 30-odd years later, as I was being conferred Honorary Fellow by the Philippine Association of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgeons

the day after I found my 2nd grade ID, I couldn’t help but reflect on my journey and transformation from skinny elementary kid to awkward teenager at Manila Science High School, then sometimes nerdy (but not always) INTARMED college

student and Alpha Sigma Fraternity member at UP Manila, and now practicing surgeon in Philadelphia. I was fortunate that my parents chose OB for my early educational years, exposing me to teachers and experiences that built the foundation and harnessed my abilities that kept me focused on my goal of becoming a surgeon.

From chickens to robots An OBMC alum’s journey as a surgeon

DepEd Approves OBMC GAS Curriculum Read on page 2

The OB Montessori Center Corps of Cadets held its Annual

Testimonial Parade and Review last March 23, 2019 at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region inside Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The Parade and Review is the peak of OBMC’s unique Leadership Training program and the center point of our school’s celebration of Founder’s Day. It is a testament to the fulfillment of Dr. Preciosa Soliven’s vision of crafting and molding the self-disciplined citizen of the world. Their march-past in honor of Dr. Soliven is a salute to her tenacity and firm belief that the Montessori system has transformed them into the New

Man, armed and instilled with the Montessori fruits of normalization.

CONCENTRATION, OBEDIENCE, LOVE FOR ORDER

This grand display of precision, teamwork and esprit de corps is not only a by-product of the Junior High School’s Leadership Training and Citizenship Advancement Training, rather, it is an amalgamation of the whole process of learning the Montessori way. From the CASA experience of queuing up on the blue line, responding to the silence bell, the Scouting program of Grade School, the child’s metamorphosis into the young Filipino citizen makes him ripe for the harvest. All of these experiences

are essential in honing the child’s love for order, the innate value of respect for authority, and his appreciation of striving for excellence in all his undertakings.

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE Dr. Soliven has always been

a staunch advocate of instilling discipline and patriotism, a love for country and respect for authority. Hence, in many of her travels, she has always taken time to visit military academies around the globe: the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Virginia Military Institute; and similar military educational institutions, which have served as the foundation for the establishment of OB Montessori’s leadership training program for Junior High School.

Brig. Gen. Cristobal Zaragoza, Commander of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, was in complete awe as he witnessed the snappy performance of the Hinirang Class of 2019 under the able leadership of Cadet Col. Nina Sapitula. In his keynote address, Gen. Zaragoza reminded the cadets that

their adherence to the rigors of regimented life will prove them well as they strive for excellence in whatever field they choose.

Army Col. Edgardo Nigos, the Army Reserve Command and concurrently Commandant of the University of Santo Tomas ROTC Unit, remarked that OB Montessori should take the lead and serve as an example for other schools to emulate in the implementation of the proposed Junior ROTC program for senior high schools.

Parents in the armed services were on hand to witness the parade. The officers were led by Police Brig. Gen. Christopher Tambungan (Greenhills), Police Brig. Gen. Rolando Hinanay (Greenhills), Coast Guard Cdr. Maricor Soliva (Sta. Ana), Philippine Navy’s Cdr. Tiffany Ticao (Greenhills), and Air Force Col. Robert Pascua (Angeles).

Capt. Armando Balilo, Commander of the Philippine Coast Guard’s Civil Relations Service, affirmed their continued

A Snappy Salute to the Founder

Vol. 26 No.1 SY 2018-2019

Pagsasarili Preschool for the Aetas

OBMCCF Founder Dr. Preciosa Soliven witnesses the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the OB Montessori Child and Community Foundation and Clark Development Corporation. In the photo: (Back row) DepEd Angeles IPEd Supr. Brenda Malonzo, CDC Chm. Jose “Ping” de Jesus, Sangguniang Tribung Ayta Pres. Oscar Dizon, Mayor’s Office-Exec. Asst. Cherrylyn Pascua, OBMCCF Dir. Concepcion Suarez; (Front row) Mabalacat City Mayor Hon. Crisostomo Garbo, CDC Pres. And CEO Noel Manankil, OBMCCF EVP Sara Soliven-De Guzman, and Bamban Mayor Hon. Jose Antonio Feliciano.

Story on page 2

Continue to page 2

Dr. Ian Soriano is a robotic gastrointestinal surgeon and Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, one

of the top ten medical schools and top ten surgical training programs in the US. He recently performed the world’s first robotic-assisted bilateral autologous

breast reconstruction procedure, teaming up with one of his plastic surgery colleagues at Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the US.

2 April, 2019 COSMIC NEWS

Now with the Department of Education’s signed approval, OB

Montessori is going full steam ahead with its modified Senior High School curriculum in its pursuit to provide a more holistic education that can serve as the ideal bridge to the country’s top universities.

When K-12 was introduced in 2013, DepEd provided a list of prescribed subjects that schools must offer when accepting enrollment to the different strands. With DepEd’s temporary certification, OBMC implemented a unique General Academic Strand program in 2016, believing it was the most practical strand students must take in preparation for college, although it had a lack in some respects. For example, the school opted to drop the ETech course, or Empowerment Technologies, since the students were already well-versed with various technologies prior to Senior High. What OBMC decided to take on—to allow students a diversity of options for college—were the following: Foreign Language, Malikhaing Pagsulat, Fundamentals of Accountancy, Business and Management, and Philippine Politics and Governance.

With the intent of turning its students into future leaders, OBMC crafted a general academic program that prepares them to know something

of everything before specialization, where learning everything of something becomes the focus.

The modified Senior High School curriculum of OBMC provides the students with a greater number of opportunities and much room for growth. By requiring a foreign language course, the students now have an edge should they decide to pursue their education abroad, or to deepen their understanding of foreign texts. As a plus, learning is not confined to the classroom as some subjects require ethical research, fieldwork, and independent inquiry. Activities outside the classroom also cultivate responsibility and collaboration, like the Entrepreneurship Fair under the Fundamentals of Accountancy and Business and Management programs where students are tasked to craft products, company names, and businesses almost entirely from scratch. This affirms the Montessori value of helping the child gain economic independence.

DepEd’s initial reservations are understandable, given the SHS program’s short history. However, their final and crucial agreement to the school’s modifications and beliefs shows they trust OB Montessori to produce competent students, ready for both the college academe and society at large.

DepEd Approves OBMC GAS Curriculum

DITORIALE

Carla Andrea Saludes,Grade 11-Amorsolo (Fairview)

partnership with OB Montessori in implementing its environmental protection and awareness program.

They were all one in lauding the efforts of Capt. Jose Mari de la Peña PCGA, Commandant of Cadets, and his indefatigable corps of instructors Sergeants Ohnaelaine Diolata, Dwight Nava, Patricia Ann Mobilla and Raina Andrea Madrid.

THROUGH THE YEARS Every year the OB Montessori Cadet

Corps has been featuring unique qualities on the parade ground. From the Greenhills grounds, Philippine National Police Parade grounds in Camp Crame, Clark Air Force Base in Angeles (now Clark Development Corporation) to the Joint-NCR Task Forces. The 2019 parade has its own indelible mark: this parade is the first to be held inside the country’s premiere military camp. Each campus is represented by a full company of two platoons each, including the Junior Police unit of the Intermediate Department.

Continued from page 1 . . . A Snappy Salute to the Founder

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed last April 8, 2019, between the Clark Development Corporation and OB Montessori Child and Community Foundation to set up OB Pagsasarili Twin Projects in helping indigenous families that surround Clark area in Pampanga. CDC Chm. Ping De Jesus, CDC Pres. Noel Manankil, OBMC Founder Dr. Preciosa Soliven, and OBMC COO Sara Soliven-De Guzman were present.

This project is the initiative of CDC to provide a non-traditional approach of education to young Aetas (3–4 years old). It hopes to produce a new generation of Aetas who are educated, self-sustainable, and productive citizens, prepared to face the challenges in the world while upholding their indigenous culture and tradition. It will cover the CADT-025A covering the City of Mabalacat, Pampanga and the Municipality of Bamban, Tarlac. The project intends to pilot a Pagsasarili site within the Clark Freeport Zone followed by ten more sitios within CADT-025A after its initial run.

Continued from page 1 . . . Pagsasarili Preschool for the Aetas

Unlike the usual academic institutions which has its roots solely in the

academe, OB Montessori Center has its roots in a humanitarian effort to reach out beyond national borders after the Vietnam War, the Operation Brotherhood International (OBI).

Granted the first Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding, Operation Brotherhood started on August 15, 1954 as a Philippine project and humanitarian answer to the thousands of suffering citizens from the Vietnam war.

“The inspiration to help, Operation Brotherhood Chairman Oscar J. Arellano relates, came from witnessing the endeavors of Vietnam’s public-spirited citizens and Red Cross workers set up emergency dispensaries to meet the urgent medical needs of these uprooted and war-weary people,” as written in the Ramon Magsaysay award website.

This effort earned the support of many personalities and teams, from Arellano’s close friend then president Ramon Magsaysay himself, to the concerned agencies from Hong Kong to Mexico, New Zealand to the United States. Indeed, the borders that divide us are easily scaled if our duties as citizens of the world are put on the line. Then, the OB project had been taken up by Jaycees, Inc. or the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Philippines, adding to the school’s historical web.

After the ashes of war have all but settled, the OBI remained aflame with the yearning to help those in need. Turning to education, in 1962 Arellano asks Dr. Preciosa S. Soliven, who by then has taught at Saigon and Makati,

to manage a preschool project in far-flung Sapang Palay, a community originally located in Intramuros.

Often tagged simply as the first two letters to the OBMC name, or the odd two letters for OB Montessori, there is not much awareness in the students about this side of the school legacy.

To the surprise of OBMC alumnus Khairy Alonto and JCI Bataan Founding president, his present and past were all but strings of the same web.

“I may have thought I deferred joining JCI, but in reality I have been groomed by its tenets three decades ago,” he said in a Facebook post.

The OB roots of OBMC are not its only link to humanitarian help. The more emphasized foundation of OBMC, the core concepts of the Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational method, is based on the idea that the child must no longer be oppressed in the classroom and that to turn the belief in the tyrant teacher around is a revolution in itself.

With both of these roots—belief in humanity, and belief in a child’s capability—OBMC stands to remain as one of the institutions with a core belief that education must not be an end to itself, but the beginning steps to changing society for the better.

The O.B. in O.B.M.C

Why is the GAS track beneficial?ELAINE PERALTA AB Management Economics, Ateneo de Manila University

In my experience, the General Academic curriculum has given me an edge in college

because it fully equipped me with all the theoretical and practical knowledge I would ever need, making it easier for me to adapt.

GILLIAN FACTORA Legal Management, University

of Santo Tomas Since it is focused

on a bit of everything, from all the strands, it gives senior high

students more time to think about what they’re really passionate about and what they want for themselves in the future.

SEBASTIAN NARCISO BS Environmental Science,

Ateneo de Manila UniversityIt helped me become

more well-rounded. It helped me become more confident with how I carry

myself. It helped me become more aware of social issues. … When you look at things, it’s actually an integration of your knowledge of different fields.

How was your OBMC SHS experience?

ADRIAN LOYOLA BS Business Administration and Accountancy, University

of the Philippines DilimanIn UP, as a GAS

student, I didn’t have to take Math 20, I was exempted from it.

It used to be a privilege only for STEM students. … I found myself being much more prepared for college subjects.

LANCE TORRES BS in Marketing

Management, De La Salle University

It helped me survive so far because of the skills it instilled in me,

the skills it honed. The time management, the speaking skills, there’s also the research skills. It helped spark creativity because of the amount creative writing and concepts we had to come up with.

EALA NOLASCO Bachelor of Arts

Interdisciplinary Studies, Ateneo de Manila University

I’m grateful for the liberty we were all exposed to, the liberty

of opinion, individuality, dissenting views and participation. It is this liberty which allowed me, which helped me enter and survive my first semester in college without losing myself.

Consultant Preciosa S. Soliven

Editorial BoxMain Editorial Board Head

Sara Soliven-De Guzman

Contributing Editors Members of the Main Editorial Board with the Campus Editorial Boards of Angeles, Fairview, Greenhills, Las Piñas, and Sta. Ana

Contributing Writers Teachers: Jobelle Adan, Beverly Cencia, and Jose Mari Dela Peña • Students: Lyza Balita, Gabino Barcelona, Yma Bergantiños, Reenon Cabilzo, Jeanne De Leon, Ashley Esguerra, Charlene Hermo, Antonio Maceda IV, Ianne Ramirez, Carla Saludes, Nina Sapitula, and Lindsey Tolentino

Contributing Alumni Writers Ayesha Alonto, Chuckie Dreyfus, Lea Salonga, Roxanne Sipin, Dr. Ian Soriano, and Maurice Tapang

Layout and Photography Publication Office with Flores Photography and other contributors

April, 2019 3COSMIC NEWS CADEMICA

“Our world is far from what it used to be. My parents and

grandparents would tell me how beautiful it is to stay outdoors and enjoy the sun’s rays in the afternoons, or have a family picnic under a tree, or even go biking. Sadly, with the environmental issues we are experiencing now, we could no longer enjoy much of God’s wonderful creation—Nature,” shares Casa Academic Coordinator Mrs. Krisha Dumo.

OB Montessori believes that as members of society, we all can contribute to improving our world. This is why the school takes pride in its rich programs that help students gain an awareness of their role in nurturing and preserving the environment. OBMC promotes love for nature by integrating Agriculture in its Casa and Grade School curriculum, having the Save the Earth Club,

participating in clean up drives, and many more.

In Casa, “taking good care of the environment is already being taught and inculcated in the children by teaching them how to sweep, mop, pack up, and pick up the litter on their classroom floor,” said Mrs. Dumo. And then recently, the Casa Department, with the help and partnership of the Intermediate Agriculture teachers, launched and conducted the Seed Planting activity for its Advanced Casa students.

In this activity, the children were taught the basic planting methods and its necessities, in this case, how to plant and take care of pechay or snow cabbage. They were introduced to the different

Jeanne Therese De LeonGrade 9-Sapphire (Fairview)

Not as Simple asYma Bergantiños, Lyza Balita, and Antonio Maceda IVGrade 11-Amorsolo and Hidalgo (Greenhills)

Planting Small Seeds for a Big Tomorrow

The OB Montessori Center has valued the importance of academic

activities for the length of its existence as an educational institution. It puts much emphasis on values and lessons and which activities under the normal curricula would be taught to students. However, it gives equal importance to activities that are extracurricular—outside of the normal curricula— which allow students and teachers alike to further articulate their skills and hone their talents.

“These activities are not only part of school life, they complete the development of the child. They are essential for the students to reach their full potential,” Mrs. Millet Sta. Ana, head of the Guidance Department shares. “As an institution that is faithful to Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy, OBMC nurtures the creative intelligence of its students, especially in High School, where extracurricular activities become avenues to express the types of intelligence other than cognitive.” Furthermore, it makes the community alive because the teachers and students are part of those activities.

Ms. Alerva Reyes, an ABM and Mathematics teacher, also serves as

the Entrepreneurial Club moderator. She puts emphasis on the way extracurricular activities are able to mesh with the normal curricula and enhance the positives of both the school and the students. “Not all things can be learned inside the classroom,” she states.

“In clubs and extracurricular activities, you’re freer to move around; everything’s more adjustable in terms of the lessons and activities.” She mentions how it allows for flexibility in someone’s capabilities. One can never overstress the importance of extracurriculars in promoting an individual’s success.

“When you go outside the school, it’s really not just about being intellectual. It’s about your skills and how you can adapt to challenges and changes.”

Throughout all the school activities and events, we as a community see the fruits of the work of our fellow students and teachers. These activities and events showcase our talents, strengthen our confidence, and affirm our efforts. They show that OB Montessori’s curriculum truly goes beyond the walls of the classroom.

materials used in planting like the pot, potting soil, seeds, and trowel. Then for five weeks, the Advanced Casa students watered and observed the growth of their plants, and recorded the measurements in their Observation Booklet.

The activity also tested the children’s capacity to listen attentively,

ABC

The OBMC High School Glee Club has been part of the High

School Department for quite some time now, serenading the school with their voices. But little does everyone know that the Glee Club holds a secret, which has slowly been revealing itself through its ever-evolving performances. There are phantom members of the Glee Club: The University of the Philippines, Singing Ambassadors (UPSA).

In early October of last year the club was introduced to its new instructor, Ms. Emem Loyola, the assistant conductor of the UPSA. Since then, the club has been training with a discipline like that of this well-respected group. Voices ranging from Bass (lowest male voice range) to Soprano (highest female voice range) have been utilized to the maximum, bringing out a new spirit within the club’s members.

The club shifted from the Broadway genre to the Chorale genre. In this latter genre, the voices of all members must be in perfect balance with each other to form one voice.

Truth be told, it is quite a struggle to change styles of singing. It’s like studying for a Math Quiz but taking an English Exam instead. Seeing this the gifted founder and head conductor of UPSA, Dr. Edgardo Manguiat, attended one of our rehearsals to assist. Such a charismatic teacher he was! He brought out the best in the club by channeling the hidden voices of every member. One of his encouragement is, “Feel the songs you’re singing.” With a few tweaks and twists, the Glee Club was shocked to hear the potential held by their voices. And it’s all thanks to the support of the UPSA.

Now the Glee Club continues to surprise its audiences with songs as humorous as Lion Sleeps Tonight, arranged by Kirby Shaw, to songs as angelic as Jubilate Deo, arranged by John Leavitt. In addition, once in a while members of the UPSA come over and practice or even perform with us on stage. With open arms, we welcome the UPSA to our OB community! With gratitude, we sing with newfound voices.

Nina SapitulaGrade 10-Emerald (Greenhills)

follow instructions and complete their cycle of work. It also revealed their love for work and their discipline.

Indeed, activities like this adhere to the OB Montessori brand of guiding young children in discovering their capabilities beyond the classroom to one day make a big difference in the world.

Newfound VoicesWith

The World o

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Senior High

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JuniorHigh

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Casa

Primary

Inter-mediate

Cinesophia Film Festival for Media Information and Literacy and Philosophy courses

Pitching the Kawayan for the FedEx competition simulation

Cadets after testimonial parade on Founder's Day

Beaus and Belles of the night at Le Bal 2019

The English Tea Party

Food preparation for Formal Dining

A toss up at the Intramurals

Selling our own products for the Minimart and Food Fair

Enjoying fresh coconut juice at the Joint Campout

Junior Police on Founder's DayAgriculture

Barn Dance

Fashion Show

Joint Campout

Greeting with the OB Montessori

hand shake

Scounting's Over-night Camping

Seed Planting Activity

Celebrating international brotherhood during the Casa United Nations Day

Selling at the Entre-prenuerial Showcase

Volunteering at the Manila Coastal Clean up

Trick or treat in JapanPink Tower and

Brown Stairs

Pouring Exercise

"Harana" with the Philippine Opera Company

Arguing for the goverment in the Inter-campus Debate

6 April, 2019 COSMIC NEWS

The Once and Future Montessorian Roma Palermo Ramirez is all smiles

as she sits across from her daughter, Ianne, in the library. One has her whole life ahead of her, and the other is doing her best to prepare it.

Mrs. Ramirez started studying in OB Montessori in 1985 as an Advanced CASA student. “Two of my favorites were pouring liquid and washing clothes,” Mrs. Ramirez reminices, “they gave me an excuse to play with water.”

To this day, the Montessori values of love for work, love for learning, and a passion for curiosity influence and aid the

alumna tremendously, especially with her new responsibilities.

One of the most influential people in Mrs. Ramirez’s development was Mr. Lucero, her Values Education teacher in high school. “Let’s face it, most Montessorians are privileged,” the alumna stated, “Mr. Lucero took me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to be less selfish. He taught me how to be modest and how to be humane.”

Mrs. Ramirez admits that her favorites in OB were the activities and recess. She recalls her retreat, stating that

she and her companions “were a family.” A tear rolls down Mrs. Ramirez’s cheek. She stutters, tries to speak, and laughs, “I met many soon-to-be ninangs and ninongs in this school. They are, without a doubt, my friends for life.”

Graduating from OB in 1997, Mrs. Ramirez is now the proud mother of two Montessorians in the Primary and High School. “This school is simply the best,” she says, “it’s a well-balanced system that offers well-rounded growing.”

With her children now in OB, Mrs. Ramirez often sees familiar teachers, such as

Gabino Joaquin Barcelona and Ianne RamirezGrade 10-Ruby and Grade 7-Emerald (Sta. Ana)

OBMC Alumni HomecomingTimeline About Friends Photos MoreRoxanne Sipin

Batch 1999

As we held our Alumni Homecoming Episode II on the grounds of OB Montessori Hall last

November 17, 2018, we celebrated our past and remembered our youth. This gathering made us all rekindle the feelings buried in everyone’s hearts as we went on with our daily lives years after graduating from our alma mater.

The memories of each individual who to our school were revived on this day. Some students who are based abroad came back home just to attend the Alumni homecoming, along with others who, been in the school grounds for about 15 to 30 years, came back to revisit the place where they grew up after 15 to 30 years.

The night started with a formal dinner set-up, which gave everybody a chance to catch up and get updated with each other. But the real highlight of the night was seeing our teachers in a different light. We all enjoyed the night sharing a laugh while our teachers tried to remember and guess our names and telling stories of the things we used to do during our time in school. The night continued to be filled with laughs, singing, dancing, and overflowing drinks.

The program was composed of the alumni's sharing their skills and talents for the night: Band members Elmer Felix Pascua with Cholo Escano, DJ Marc Naval, and ever-charming host Gabby Eigenmann, packed the evening with outstanding music and entertainment. The current OBMC dance troupe also displayed their rendition of “Dance Evolution.” Afterwards, our President, Dr. Preciosa Soliven, gave a brief speech welcoming the alumni and teachers back to the school. Her speech sent most of us down memory lane as she reminded all of us Montessorians the things we learned from the past, and how we should continue to embrace the future. As our school motto goes Ad Dolore, Ad Gloriam (from pains to gains). We have slowly understood the meaning behind it more and more as we live our lives.

The night didn't end there for numerous raffle prizes were given out as well. We'd like to thank the sponsors who donated from the goodness of their hearts. It was not just a night to reconnect and celebrate, but it was also dedicated for a good cause. Proceeds of the event went to the Brave Warrior Kids Foundation, an organization founded by Batch 1996 that helps children with cancer and spinal muscular atrophy. This alumni homecoming was also made possible through the hard work of representatives from Batches 1987-2007.

As the homecoming committee, we hope that more people can join in the fun and fight of the next chapter of our Alumni Homecoming. Fellow Montessorians, till we meet again!

Our Batch ’90 had only 48 graduates. We called our time as “iskul bukol,” but what OBMC gifted us all, more than our professional training that has aided us in our respective work in adulthood, is the sense of family we have with one another. Mine and Remah’s batchmates are

not just “klasmeyts” but individuals who have truly been family to me in these near 30 years.

Mdme. Soliven also gave me two lifelines: my high school education that my Catholic alma mater and all other good Catholic schools refused due to my married status at 15 years old, and my first real work when I began living life on my convictions in 2007. OBMC allowed me to have my own beat amidst the cadence of duty my life entails. It made me realize its motto, “Seipsum facit persona”! I’ve only just began. Salamat po!

Ayesha Alonto

Chuckie Dreyfus

I started studying at OBMC back in grade school during the early 80s. It was when the school grounds were still filled with cottages and the place looked very different from what it is now. I was very busy as a child or teen actor back then, and Dr. Soliven and OBMC allowed me the freedom to nurture my skills and talents as an artist while helping me keep up with my studies given the erratic working schedules of showbusiness.

Grade school and high school years were some of the most wonderful times in my life—and they were spent right here.

I look forward to seeing my daughter create equally wonderful memories at OBMC as well—and eventually attend her very own OBMC alumni homecoming.

It truly is wonderful seeing old friends, classmates, and even some of our former teachers and school staff during the festivities.

Heading home from my high school’s grand alumni reunion, which included many batches from the pioneers of 1987 to the much younger set. I think it’s safe to say we were the more skilled drinkers as I counted three pass-outs from the younger batches.

There’s something truly special about the friends you make in high school and grade school. They are grounding, giving one’s otherwise interesting existence copious amounts of reality. And tonight, I was able to reminisce, laugh out loud, catch up, and just be.

To everyone that ever called OB Montessori Center their home, consider yourselves fortunate that you’ve (hopefully) made friends that will see you through this life with humor and humanity.

Lea Salonga

lumniA

April, 2019 7COSMIC NEWS

Mr. Jose Marie Dela Peña. “He’s definitely older, but he looks like he hasn’t aged one bit,” the alumna laughs. Ianne, a proud member of the Cadet Officer Candidate Course (COCCC), is learning the same discipline and values that her mother

learned years ago from Mr. Dela Peña.

Mrs. Ramirez is asked to give her daughter any advice, being a witness to the same journey she once undertook all those years ago.

Eyes still teary, the mother looks at Ianne and smiles, “Appreciate every subject you have, but you need to look beyond the books and

go beyond the school. You need to be a better person for yourself and for other people. Always have something to give the rest of the world when it seems like no one will.”

This school year, he started wearing a prosthetic leg. His physical challenges have not hampered his ability to strive for excellence alongside his classmates. He takes part in physical games during intramurals, plays with his friends, and reaches milestones in his life that mark his growth as a confident and well-adjusted child.

“He is only assisted if physically he is unable to,” his parents shared. “Up to now he is still afraid of getting on an escalator, but he has already mastered getting off.”

Andre has come far, and he has a lot still to conquer, but his parents are insistent that he view his journey like any other child. He is treated no differently than his cousins, Andre’s parents said. They ere even proud to point out that whenever he falls, or is accidentally pushed, he gets back up without a fuss. But as empowering as they are, Andre’s parents are not always without worries.

“We were concerned that he may get bullied or laughed at in school,”

they said. It's a good thing it has not been the case with OBMC. “In fact, I remember in one of the school’s sportsfests, when it was Andre’s turn in one of the events, parents, students, and staff cheered him on,” they added. The school’s layout has been helpful too, since Andre’s first classes were on the ground floor.

“The summer before his class was to move on the second floor, we actually did some practice going up and down the stairs he would be using,” they said.

Andre will be needing more practice if he wants to be the “first PWD to do a spacewalk,” said his parents. It's a good thing he has OBMC to help him be his best self !

Ashley EsguerraGrade 9-Ruby (Las Piñas)

Andre Jedd Estrella dreams of becoming an astronaut. A young

achiever from Grade 5-Mercury, Andre has consistently been a Bergamo student every grading period since joining OBMC in Grade1. NASA is lucky to have an aspirant as smart and participative as Andre. But before exploring the depth of the galaxy, he has to first master the escalator.

Born with a single leg, Andre has used crutches to help himself get around.

OBMC’s Future Astronaut

Community and family. These are the two things that anchor Dominique

Sucgang to OB Montessori - Sta. Ana. Dom is someone who’s had

experience in various schools, whether it be in the Philippines or in Australia. Throughout her grade school and high school life, she had transferred from one school to another, never staying for more than two years due to the family’s desire for a better life abroad. When they relocated to Sydney, Australia, Dom was enrolled at McQuarry Fields Public School, then moved to Glenfield Public School, and later studied at Holsworthy High School. “Adjusting to new environments was not that difficult for me. It allowed me to gain and create experiences from all the schools I’ve been in, and encounter the differences that these have with each other,” Dom shares. “It was easy to adapt and form relationships with different people, but I did not find my group.”

It was different though in OB Montessori Center - Sta. Ana, where Dom enrolled for junior high school after coming back from Australia. While not having somewhere to belong to in Sydney, she was able to experience otherwise at OBMC.

“In OB Montessori, I fit in. Not only did I fit in, I was also able to hone my communication and leadership skills here,”

she says. “I participated in Public Speaking Festivals and I also became the Class Mayor in Grade 9.”

Now she utilizes all of these skills that were cultivated in OBMC as the current Senior High Student President of the Far Eastern University’s Student Council, being the first independent candidate in the institution to win this position.

Dom had felt nothing but warmth and compassion in her three-year stay at OBMC. And as each year passed she learned more and more about the school and people around her. Now there is history connected to every little thing, making it more special. She mentions: “They say that the people you meet in high school are the people you won’t ever forget. This is so true if you had gone to OB Montessori.”

Something always makes her come back to OBMC - Sta. Ana. She calls it her roots, her home. “The people here, and the place itself, has a huge importance in my heart. Every time I come back, I see how much the place keeps growing,” she muses. For her, OB Montessori will always be a constant, a safe haven for a person’s growth into becoming someone new. It’s completely fitting that OBMC has a butterfly for its logo, as the school and its environment symbolize a cocoon where students are being made ready for the real world.

Reenon Darren CabilzoGrade 11-Amorsolo (Sta. Ana)

Insights of a University of Sydney student with a Montessori Foundation Maurice Irvin TapangOBMC-Angeles Batch 2018

Although I was very torn between studying at the

University of the Philippines (UP) or the University of Sydney (USyd), I ultimately chose to “do USyd.” Moving from a semi-rural campus to one of the premier universities across the globe was not as easy as I thought. After all, the size of the Angeles campus is just the size of USyd’s Business School or the Faculty of Economics, where I usually attend lectures. The teaching staff are either doctorate-holders of top universities in Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom or high-ranking employees of the Reserve Bank, Australia’s central bank.

My studies are heavy and demanding now that I am taking intermediate-level Micro and Macroeconomics, and Banking units. Adding to this challenge are the intense study habits of my peers and my part-time work as a children’s educator.

Despite these hurdles, I remain confident knowing I had been well-equipped with the right introductory knowledge in senior high school. Economics is a highly theoretical, mathematical, technical, and practical subject, all at the same time. Memorizing the terms and formulas does not even scratch the surface of

my course study. Fortunately, I had been taught in a system that values analysis, asking questions, and critical thinking.

Thankfully, the Senior High program of OB Montessori prepped me for Statistics, Calculus, and Applied Economics, which made their application in the study of Economics a breeze. I also have Practical Research to thank, as many university-level tasks require an above-average understanding of citations, research, and information-gathering. Even my lessons in the natural sciences and my interest in foreign languages, specifically Spanish, have helped me realize how important it is to understand one’s studies in the framework of society’s needs and concerns.

I was neither the brightest nor the most diligent student in my batch. Admittedly, I owe my acceptance to all the top universities in the Philippines and being in USyd to my experience in OBMC. I will remain proud of my senior high background that equips the student

and serves as a springboard for OBMC’s future alumni.

Given this, OBMC students do not need to worry about whether they can pass college entrance tests; instead,

the more significant difficulty might be in having

to choose among the different top

universities that are welcoming them.

EATURESF

A Former Student’s Perspective on

her Alma Mater

Home is Where the Heart is:

8 April, 2019 COSMIC NEWS portsS

Noel Comia Jr. earned public recognition when he won Cinemalaya's Best Actor Award 2017 for the movie, Kiko

Boksingero. Just like Esang, Noel also joined The Voice Kids Philippines. Owing to favorable circumstances, and with the help of Lea Salonga, he is now a Junior High School student here at OB Montessori.

Get to know more about his journey here in OBMC.• What did you expect when you first came to OBMC? “I thought that I would have

a hard time socializing with people for I came from a home-schooling program.”• How was your first day in school? “It was fun! Contrary to what I

was expecting, I made friends immediately. It was a day full of new experiences.”

• Did you have a difficult time adjusting to the new environment? “I thought that I was going to have a hard time because I’ve been under a home-schooling program for the past five years. But adjusting was a breeze because my new friends and teachers were there to help me.

• How do you balance your showbiz career and studies? “The key is time management. I need to plan out the things I have to do each day.”

• How do your teachers and friends help you cope with the school activities that you missed? “When my absences are excused, the teachers would always accommodate and assist me for the completion of my school work. My friends also help me by sharing the notes I missed.

• Do you think the school is supportive towards students like you? “Yes, they are! If you look at the alumni of OBMC, you would see that many of them are successful artists.”

Lindsey TolentinoGrade 6-Venus (Greenhills)

Esang De Torres started her journey as a stage performer when she joined The Voice Kids Philippines. With the help of her mentor, OBMC alumna

Lea Salonga, Esang came to OB Montessori as a fourth grader in 2016.

Get to know more about her journey here in OBMC.• What did you expect when you first came to OBMC? “I expected everyone to be understanding and very disciplined.”

• How was your first day in school? “I did not feel intimidated at all for everyone was very accommodating.”• Did you have a difficult time adjusting to the new environment?

“Honestly, it was difficult at first because the Montessori system is something new to me. I was raised in a traditional school setting and what amused me here are the Montessori materials that make learning fun and easy.”

• How do you balance your career and studies? “I try scheduling my rehearsals after school, as much as possible.”

• How do your teachers and friends help you cope with the school activities that you missed? “My teachers always schedule me for an overtime. This is when they discuss and administer all the work that I failed to do due to my inconsistent schedule. My friends and I would always exchange calls and they would send messages to update me.”

• Do you think the school is supportive towards students like you? “Yes, because when I was part of the musical play ‘Matilda,’ the school supported me in helping me cope with my lessons. Posters of ‘Matilda’ were all around the campuses and many OBMC families watched the show. After my performance, I was given a bouquet of flowers. By the way, I am also part of the Angel’s Choir so I get to perform in different places hosted by OBMC. You see, the school offers not just quality education, but also clubs like Angel’s Choir, Angklung Ensemble, Junior Police, and Save the Earth that aim to develop students’ skills and talents . . . I like the holistic approach we have. The Montessori system of education prepares and equips the students for the future and for the demands of society.”

Telesa “Esang” De Torres

Charlene Marianne HermoGrade 6-Venus (Greenhills)

Noel Comia, Jr.

Jerecho D. Dela Peña andMaxine Angelique S. De Guzman

GOLD MedalistsNCR Palaro 2019 Dance Sport Competition

Enrique Bryan V. San DiegoGOLD Medalist 4x50m Freestyle RelaySILVER Medalist 4x100m Freestyle RelayNCR Palaro 2019 Swimming Competition

G r e e n h i l l s C a m p u s

A n g e l e s C a m p u s

Sophia Tamika CantrellGold Medalist-TAEKWONDO

Angeles City Amateur Athletic AssociationGold Medalist-TAEKWONDO, Region III

Taekwondo Championship (Bataan)Bronze-TAEKWONDO, 6th Daedo

Open Championship (SG)

OBMC Student Achievers 2018–2019

Greenhills Campus (Champion)OBMC Intercampus Volleyball Tournament

Las Piñas Campus (Champion)OBMC Intercampus Basketball Tournament

Inter-Campus Face Off

Leila Viktor M. EsguerraSecond Place TYPA Girl's Int'l. Gymnastic Meet (TPE)

Xsandrie Viande R. GuimbaFirst Place Mixed Relay (3000m)

SEA Open Short Track Trophy 2019 (SG)

Daelyn Claire L. ObedozaGold Medalist-Kyorugi (Non-Bearing)

Silver Medalist-Poomsae (Bearing)Lapprisa Taekwando Championship 2018

Cahrlo EvangelistaGold Medalist-Jiu Jitsu Mixed Juvenile - Heavy DivisionPhilippine 2019 International Open Jiu Jitsu Championship

Jaz Villanueva 2nd Place in the Kabataan Essay CompetitionCarlos Palanca Memorial Awards For Literature 2018

Miyake O. CapinaGold Medalist-Fencing

Philippine Fencing Association Minime, Cadet and Junior Fencing Championships

L a s P i ñ a s C a m p u s

Gold Medalist Individual Poomsae Junior Female Division Philippine Youth Games Taekwondo

Gold Medalist Mixed Pair Poomsae Carlos Palanca Jr. Memorial Taekwondo Championship

Maria Francesca SungaGrand Champion-Painting Category 1 Global Art National Competition

Maria Lizette SungaGrand Champion-Painting Category 2

Global Art National Competition

Sabina Mae SantosGold Medalist-Power Lifting

Robinsons, Angeles City Gold Medalist-Power Lifting

Robinsons, Malabon

Ronald Gabriel SantosGold Medalist-Ju Jitsu Asia Sports Ju Jitsu Federation

Maria Nicole Anne M. LabayneGold Medalist and Most Valuable Player Individual Secondary Girls Poomsae NCR Palaro 2019

F a i r v i e w C a m p u s

Julia Katherine Y. TiuSilver Medalist for Solo and Group Ballet Youth Friendship for Peace Asia-Pacific Arts Festival (VN)

Andrei Xavier Lorenz FactoraGold Medalist-TAEKWONDO Angeles City Amateur Athletic AssociationGold Medalist-TAEKWONDO, 6th Daedo Open Championship (SG)