Wanted: Excellent skilled workers

While not totally inept at house repairs, I gladly give way to those who really know the trade to make sure things get fixed rather than more broken.

I have such high regard for carpenters, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and anyone with innate skills who can build and repair most anything.

Reminds me of a family friend, who suddenly passed away early this year. There was little that guy could not do! And when he took on a project, he was always so focused and gave his 101 percent to it.

He actually comes from a family of artisans. But other than building, he was so creative and that's why I worked closely with him on many projects. Logo designs, t-shirt printing, backdrops... need anything with art, he's your guy.

But he could just as easily fix any electrical problems, paint your house to dazzle you, change busted water pipes, build a table, or a house, for that matter.

Then he suffered a stroke.

Unfortunately, skilled workers in this country do not command the high wages that they are entitled to in other countries.

A carpenter does not command the same respect as an office employee, and needless to say, nor do they get the salary they deserve regardless of their skill level.

I don't blame those who pack their bags for some foreign shore because there, they are paid what they're worth.

So, my friend ended up half-paralyzed with insufficient resources to go for therapy. But he's a scrapper. He strove to recover, did exercises to help him walk again, and while successful, he still ended up with a heavy limp.

One arm was also permanently paralyzed. But, did he give up? No! His movement may be limited but it didn't stop him from creating and working and supporting his children.

He's rarely idle. And when you look for him, he would be busy supervising construction work, or tile work, or making glass and aluminum cabinets. And that's how he survived.

Although the jobs were steady, they still didn't pay much. Yet, he continued to do extraordinary work, made more amazing given his disability.

Later, when I got to talk to him, or chat online, he'd share about how he wasn't feeling so well, and that he suffered from seizures, or aches and pains but didn't have enough to go see a doctor or buy the necessary maintenance medication he needed.

We helped as much as we could, but the man also had his pride. He'd offer his service for free in exchange for whatever he received previously, even when that was given as a gift.

The strict lockdowns meant he couldn't go out to look for projects or side hustles. But like I said, he had a lot of spunk and wouldn't let quarantine stop him from creating.

He took to creating colorful pots and selling these to friends and online. And with many people turning plant-crazy during this pandemic, he was kept so busy.

When I checked how he was doing, he would send me photos of his work and you'd never believe it was done by someone with just one good working hand! Even more astounding was how many he kept churning from his small home because the orders just kept coming!

That's why I miss him, and remember how good of a man he was, and how inspiring he's been not just for me but for many who knew or met him.

Now, he's got a nephew who's turning out to be a craftsman himself. The guy does know how to work a hammer and a saw, and turn wood into something right out of a magazine.

My dad saw the potential in him and pushed him because the guy didn't have much confidence in himself and his abilities.

Sadly, his insecurity stems from the fact that he never went beyond high school. I know he was sent to trade school, but there was no carpentry or furniture building course there.

Besides, he had such a fear of the big city and would rather languish working small jobs in the province rather than grab opportunities away from home.

What a waste of talent...

We can't even get him to come to our home and do any repairs or build stuff for us because he absolutely refuses to take a bus and travel to Manila.

And it's so difficult to find someone with excellent carpentry and repair skills here because most of them are working in construction projects.

When we do find one, we have to grovel to fit us in their schedule just to get things done. And while I don't like hovering around people as they do their work, I do find myself doing just that when someone comes in for repair work.

It's so fascinating to watch how they can make something look right again even when it was in a state of disrepair before they handled it.

And no, if you give me good work, I do not quibble about how much I need to pay for the service.

I also appreciate someone who provides options to minimize expenses rather than just going with a plan that will burn a hole in the pocket when a more economical alternative is available because they don't want to put a lot of thought into the job.

How I wish there were more young people going into carpentry or building, and they get the support to encourage them to pursue this as a career because we need more Filipino craftsmen.

Photos without credit are original