Changing gears

Nothing can slow down the vitality of Bettina Osmeña. After her battle with the big C, part of her self-restoration process was to involve herself in organizations like I Can Serve to help her fellow cancer victims and survivors heal themselves three-fold: in body, mind and spirit.

She and the organizers of I Can Serve are constantly fundraising through bazaars, where part of the proceeds goes to the cancer victims and survivors.

During the last Tickled Pink Bazaar, I had a chance to see the collection of Bettina. I was aware that she has been exporting for the last four years but I never really got to see her whole collection. I was quite amazed at what Filipino ingenuity can create out of our local materials like wood, horn and shells. I found her very fortunate to have found a career that gives her so much pleasure. I have always known Bettina as a creative person who loves beautiful homes and accessories. On top of that, she is a whiz in the kitchen and can whip up a gourmet dinner in no time.

Her jewelry collection is a reflection of her home: simple but calls attention to the details. Most of her pieces use a lot of labor-intensive inlays and are lovingly handcrafted by women from her adopted province, Cebu. She believes that our competitive advantage is in our rich natural resources like wood, horn and shell. Her jewelry collection is exported to France, Spain, Japan, Greece, the USA and South America.

Locally, her pieces are well appreciated by Manila’s fashionistas and the ladies of the expat community. I noticed this during the last Tickled Pink Bazaar when I joined as a vendor myself. Her booth had so many buyers as her collection was truly attractive. I myself could not resist a gold crochet necklace, which looked like a pre-Hispanic tambourine piece with a modern twist.

These days her focus is on how to improve her thriving jewelry business in spite of the depreciation of the US dollar. After much thought and prodding from her supportive husband, Bettina decided to close her export line and concentrate on the local market. This time, though, she is changing gears and going high-end in her next collection.

“I don’t want to stop my creative energies just because my export business has slowed down because of the depreciation of the dollar,” she says. “I still would like to continue to provide jobs to my workers and this is the only way to go for now. We either sink or swim by raising the bar.”

Bettina Osmeña remains optimistic in her new high-end venture. “We are really the most creative people in Asia when it comes to contemporary designs, so let us bank on our strengths. It is time for me to enter the luxury market and I know that my clients will continue to patronize me.”

This is our last call to buy Bettina O’s inexpensive but beautiful line. Her pieces will be sold at the International Bazaar tomorrow, Nov. 25, at the PICC Forum. The bazaar opens at 9 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m. Bettina will be at booth number L-73. Take it from me, her pieces are well worth owning.