SERGE & BETTINA OSMENA: Davao, to discover new dishes

The Osmeñas would say Pearl Farm in Davao, hands down!

Even if Serge Osmeña, three-term Senator, hails from Cebu, and Bettina Lopez-Osmeña considers Iloilo her home province.

Bettina says: “The Floirendos have been my friends since grade school and I know that they would take good care of us royally. I chose Pearl Farm because we have lots of friends in Davao. If we get bored on the island we can go visit our friends in the city.”

Serge says that, for nature tripping, Davao is tops. “You have both the mountains and the sea at your disposal. I love to go fishing so we could go fishing and snorkeling, our kids could go scuba diving. If we need a change of scenery, we could go hiking in the mountains as a family. My children are all adventurous nature trippers.”

“During the pandemic, everybody went on pause — except for me and a handful,” says Bettina, who is the entrepreneur behind Gourmet Corner.

“We have never stayed home so much in our lives, though I was working very hard from home. We got to try new dishes during the lockdown, which ended up in my store. And if we get caught in a lockdown in Davao, it would be an ideal place to try and learn new dishes.”

Serge and Bettina say the pandemic taught them good lessons, like appreciating what matters most. Bettina reflects: “I believe that God brought this upon us. China was the starting point for some divine reason. It was a time for deep reflection, meditation and connecting with the universe, which I hardly had time to do pre-COVID-19. It also made us realize how fragile life is. We lost some friends during this period and it made my family love each other more and enjoy each other’s company!”