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The Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) has bestowed a grant to the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) to authenticate, modernize, and preserve traditional Filipino fine jewelry through systematic tools and advanced digital technologies.
This was formalized through a ceremonial signing between Benilde and DOST-PCIEERD, which marked the cooperation between the government, academe, and industry to foster cultural preservation, innovation, and global competitiveness.
Aimed at promoting local creative industries and technology-driven heritage research, the grant awardee spearheaded the cultural mapping and digitalization of Philippine heirloom fine jewelry as part of the institution’s efforts to offer jewelry making courses and workshops.
The grant will likewise document heirloom jewelry forms, regional design motifs, and production techniques across key jewelry-producing regions in the Philippines while integrating 3D visualization, computer-aided design (CAD), and 3D printing.
Target outcomes for the initiative are: standardized specifications for tamborin and filigree jewelry, formulation of authentication measures for Philippine heirloom fine jewelry, training of artisans, educators, and industry stakeholders, and the creation of digital archives. It likewise hopes to bolster the “Made in the Philippines” identity in fine jewelry markets.
Four representatives from the college participated in an international benchmarking in Portugal, a country known as a champion of filigree making. It strengthened the initiative’s comparative framework and paved the way for local heirloom jewelry traditions to be preserved with distinct Filipino identity, while it is contextualized within global best practices.
The contingent attended a hands-on training in Portuguese filigree jewelry. The team of Benildean educators was led by Christine Cheryl Benet, director of Slim’s Fashion & Arts School. She was accompanied by Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) Program Chairperson Ionica Abrahan Lim and FDM faculty members Roxoanne Bagano-Dizon and Brendon Ellis Bigay.
“We aim for Benilde to be one of the champions of cultural preservation by facilitating the transfer of traditional techniques, making them accessible across various industries, and contributing to the continued enrichment of Filipino identity,” Benet said.
Activities included in their itinerary were Portuguese jewelry-making workshops, jewelry shop immersions, craft documentation, and museum visits.
The group likewise conducted collaborative exchanges with Associação de Ourivesaria e Relojoaria de Portugal (Portuguese Association of Goldsmiths and Watchmakers) through its Secretary General João Rothes.
This national industry association represents goldsmiths, jewelers, and watchmakers. It plays a key role in supporting artisans and preserving Portuguese jewelry traditions.