History of Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori

“The flowers of all the tomorrows are found in the seeds of all the today’s” – the guiding light behind the birth of Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori (CBEM). The seed from which Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori sprang was sown at time of adversity.

WOMEN POWER

Widowed at 54 with only a daughter among her nine children having finished the two year Elementary Teacher Certificate, Dionisia Mangubat vda de Contreras, resolved that all her unmarried sons and daughter would go to school. Miguel, who came from a landed family, believed that his sons’ and daughters’ future lay on tilling the soil. It was enough for him that his children finish secondary education. This is not to diminish his stature as a father, he worked so hard to purchase farmlands that he believed would ensure his children’s future. Dionisia, seeing the hardship that went into farming with so little seasonal income derived from it wished that all her children would go to college. A family council was held. Daria, the teacher and eldest among her unmarried children, was consulted on her plan. Both women resolved that all would go to college. Mother declared, “All of you are going back to school. We can’t afford to send you to Manila to take up courses you like. The most we can afford is for all of you to study here in Batangas. Those of you who want to follow your “ate” may do so. If you do not wish to become a teacher you may take up a course you are inclined to. We will not abandon the farmlands; in the morning we will tend the farm; that means food on the table, money in your pockets and money to pay a part of your tuition.” Two sons and three daughters took up teaching; one took up commerce while the eldest brother having finished a vocational course applied in the police force and became a policeman.
Daria, Apolonia, Vivencio, Filomeno, Remedios became teachers and made their names in their respective stations. Vivencio became a principal, Daria, Apolonia, Filomeno and Remedios were demonstration teachers. Filomeno worked at Aramco in Saudi Arabia as a teacher while Remedios was a Master Teacher before she resigned from the public schools. Seven of their nieces followed in their footsteps.

This is the Contreras family’s legacy to the community – quality education for the future generation.

THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA

The 80’s saw the rise of many schools in Batangas City. Our superiors in the division have been prodding us to put up our own school. If the others can do it why couldn’t we. Teacher Fil has been dreaming of having a school of our own where we can implement what we believed we never could do as public school teachers.
While taking up our Master’s Degree in the early 70’s we had the opportunity to visit OB Montessori in Sta. Ana, Manila. There, we saw children three (3) to four (4) years old doing practical household chores, reading, and doing math very differently. A home-like atmosphere pervaded the classroom. Everything was so orderly, peaceful and quiet. Every child was doing his task with little supervision from the teacher/directress. We dreamed that if we would ever establish a school it would be a Montessori School.

The greatest stumbling block in establishing a school was capital. Setting up a Montessori School needed quite a sum. Where do we get the seed money for the school. Selling property was out of the question. A little hope glimmered when Teacher Fil’s co-teacher proposed a joint venture scheme, land would be our equity and the building theirs. Management would be theirs too. How could we put our ideas into reality if this would be the case? The scheme was too lopsided in favor of the proponent, it was an impossibility. The deal was aborted.

A DEATH AND A BIRTH

In the face of such seemingly insurmountable problem two sad events successively occurred. We lost our dear mother and five years later our sister Daria without whom we could not have gone to college, died too. But God writes straight with crooked lines. In her death, Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori (CBEM) was born. The seed money for Casa del Bambino came from her inheritance. In her selfless devotion to family she did not marry; she found fulfillment and happiness in the teaching profession and in the knowledge that her brothers and sisters have an assured future. In death there is birth – Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori was born. Birth in the face of adversity. God writes straight with crooked lines.

BIRTH PANGS

Three brothers – Angel M. Contreras, Vivencio M. Contreras, and Filomeno M. Contreras, two sisters – Apolonia M. Rodriguez, and Remedios C. Plata and a niece – Hermilina C. Panganiban banded themselves and formed a family corporation. It was decided that this would at first be a non-stock non-profit corporation.

Mr. Filomeno M. Contreras is the president while the rest are members of the Board of Directors. Miss Cynthia B. Contreras is Corporate Secretary while Mrs. Soledad B. Contreras is treasurer. While waiting for the registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission construction of a two classroom building began in January 1995. Simultaneously a permit to operate was secured from the DECS. Teachers Fil, Remy, and Judith underwent training in the Montessori approach under Mrs. Juanita Bingcang who was a teacher-trainer at OB Montessori.

June 5, 1995 – twenty-four (24) preschool children with ages ranging from 3 to 5 enrolled in the pre-elementary program Bambini for threes, Junior for fours, and Senior for fives. The pioneer teachers were Teacher Fil, Teacher Remy, and Teacher Judith.

Academic year 1996 – 1997 saw more than 100% increase in enrolment (from 24 to 62) and the opening of the Elementary Department

With positive feedback from the parents and the community 93 new enrollees boosted the student population. This necessitated erecting a new building that will house the pre-elementary and the elementary department. The architectural firm Farah Design was hired to draw the plans for a 4-storey building. The plan was deemed ambitious. Prudence dictated that the building was to be put up portion by portion every two years. What little resources were available were maximized without sacrificing design, quality, viability, security, and conduciveness to learning. When completed, the new building would house the pre-elementary, elementary, and high school departments. It will have the laboratories, audio-visual room, and a basketball court on the fourth floor. Considering all the factors the basketball court was shelved in favor of a multipurpose hall.

Building the first row of a four storey building began in earnest in January 1997. A second floor was added to the first row of classrooms in 1998. The renovation of the original building followed in 2000. One hundred thirty-three students raised the school population to five hundred sixty-one.

Every two years thereafter an additional floor was built to accommodate the burgeoning population. By 2001 the ground floor of the four storey building was completed and in 2003 the second floor. With 55 Casa 7 and 16 Casa 8 students, the high school department opened. The third and fourth floors were completed in 2004 – 2005.

Looking forward to further growth of population the board decided to acquire more properties for future expansion. Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori has grown from its humble beginnings of twenty-four (24) pupils to what it has become today with one thousand two hundred sixty-four (1264) students.

The Pre-elementary, Elementary, and High School Departments were recognized in 1999, 2001, and 2005 respectively.

The implementation of Republic Act No. 1053, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education of 2013, gave way to the opening of the Senior High School Department on June 2016.

The seeds of Casa del Bambino has burst forth and has started to bloom.

Today Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori is still on its mission toward providing academic excellence for its pre-elementary, elementary, and high school students. It will continue to help develop children to become leaders of the future who can make a difference for the Filipino people.