In Barangay Sabang on Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City, mornings begin not with traffic or office buzz, but with the soft clatter of seashells poured onto wooden tables. For 50-year-old Analy Bacante, the rhythm of shells being drilled, roasted and polished has been her soundtrack of nearly three decades. A second-generation artisan, she learned the craft from her parents, who once made simple placemats from shells gathered by local fisherfolk. Today, she transforms those same sea treasures into chandeliers and necklaces that travel from Cebu to as far as the United States and China.

Codis, D. M. P. (2026, March 3). Sea, shells and survival: Olango’s women keep craft afloat. SunStar Cebu, p. 3.