Christine the ‘Bag Lady’

Mention "bag lady" and what comes to mind is a decrepit lady with a worn-out bag containing everything she needs.

That’s what my good friend Christine Bersola is – except that she is not decrepit and her bags are not worn out. Christine, or Tintin as she’s fondly called, is often teased as a bag lady by her family and friends because of the more than 100 bags she owns. For Tintin, a bag is not just an accessory but a necessity.

"I cannot survive without my bags," she confesses.

I remember when we were still hosting ETC, she would usually bring at least ten bags in her van during tapings. For most of us who can fit all the things we need in one bag, this is difficult to understand! Just what are inside the ten bags of Tintin?

"I’m what you may call a girl scout, meaning laging handa ako whatever the occasion calls for. Whenever I go out, I always bring the following bags: my main bag which holds my cellphone, wallet, pen, small notebook and face powder; my food bag which contains coffee, tea and crackers (you never know when you’ll get hungry!) spoon and fork, water, mug and chopsticks; newspaper bag which has reading materials inside like magazines and newspapers for I always make it a point to read as many newspapers and tabloids as I can in a day to keep abreast of the latest news; my shoe bag which holds at least three pairs of shoes; two accessories bags, one for bracelets and earrings only and one for necklaces only; toiletries bags with alcohol, powder, disinfectant spray, tissue paper and candles inside; beddings bags which contains a pillow and a blanket; my media bag with a radio, camera and rolls of film and my memory bags with some of my favorite photos and photo albums.

If bags were to be a gauge of one’s personality, then Tintin is, no doubt, a well-organized individual who takes her work seriously.

For her forthcoming wedding to Julius Babao, Tintin is expectedly organized. In fact, preparations for the wedding started as early as January of this year and by this time, all of the wedding details have been taken cared of. All she has to do is now prepare herself for this new chapter in her life.

"Julius and I have a lot of things in common. We laugh together, we love going to the malls, we just love doing things together. However, we always make it a point to give each other space. We make sure that our communication lines are always open to each other and we never get angry at the same time. I’d like to think that we complement each other and that we bring out the best in each other."

The challenges of married life – which are not just about the wedding preparations but about a lifelong commitment between two people in love – can shake and rattle even the most solid relationships. How does she plan to make her marriage work?

"I can only hope for the best. I know that not all marriages have happy endings. I know that it is not going to be rosy all the time and there will be times that our love will be tested but I’m fully committed, fully prepared to face everything and do my best to have a happy and successful married life," shares Tintin.

Other than her forthcoming wedding, Tintin is also busy with her TV shows (Magandang Umaga Bayan and Cinema News) and has tried her hand in acting via the Sharon Cuneta-Aga Muhlach blockbuster movie Kung Ako Na Lang Sana, where she delivered a splendid performance as one of Sharon’s best friends in the movie.

Going back to her bags, when asked which among her Pradas, Ferragamos and Ralph Laurens is her favorite, Tintin revealed that her "Christine Bag" is the most special to her. This is a locally-made bag designed and made for her by Marquina Shoes, and is currently available at SM Department Stores and Natasha distributors. Tintin swears by this bag. Stylish and functional, the "Christine Bag" compares well with imported ones.

This bag is unique and special for Tintin because a percentage of the sales of all Christine Bags will go to ABS-CBN‘s Bantay Bata Foundation. With children having a soft spot in her heart, the soon-to-be-wed Tintin is happy to be able to share her blessings with the children of Bantay Bata.

Mabuhay ka, Tintin!