Abba’s Orchard Montessori to Open in Iloilo Township

One of the Philippines’ premier Montessori institutions, The Abba’s Orchard, is set to open its first Iloilo campus inside Sta. Barbara Heights, a 173-hectare township developed by Global-Estate Resorts Inc. (GERI), a subsidiary of Megaworld.

Slated to open in school year 2026-2027, the campus will rise on a one-hectare, tree-lined site at the township’s center.

It will initially offer CASA (ages 3 to 6) and Elementary Level 1 (Grades 1 to 3) programs, with future plans to expand into the Erdkinder level—a unique adolescent Montessori curriculum combining 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,” said Monica T. Salomon, president of GERI.

“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 surrounding areas.”

Founded in 1999 by Chris and Ann Barrameda, The Abba’s Orchard has become one of the country’s leading Montessori school networks, known for faithfully implementing Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational philosophy.

With a focus on child-led learning in thoughtfully prepared environments, the school fosters independence, curiosity, and responsibility in students from infancy through adolescence.

Today, it operates 14 campuses across Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—including the La Granja Montessori farm school in Bukidnon, the first of its kind in Asia.

“We hope to bring an authentic Montessori system to Iloilo—one that truly engages the child,” said Joseph Christopher Barrameda, founding director of The Abba’s Orchard.

“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.

This is the kind of meaningful experience we’re bringing to Sta. Barbara Heights and nearby communities in Iloilo.”

Sta. Barbara Heights is a master-planned lifestyle community featuring a vibrant town center, a proposed business park, and multiple residential villages, with direct road access to the Iloilo International Airport via Iloilo International Avenue.

Its strategic location near key landmarks—including the historic Sta. Barbara Church and the Iloilo Golf Course and Country Club—offers a unique mix of cultural heritage and modern living.