A SALUTE TO ALL CARPENTERS

My father (now deceased) was a carpenter during summer and a farmer during rainy season. During my teen years, I would often help him tend our farm from plowing-to-planting-to-harvesting our crops but I can’t recall being with him in his carpentry works. I have surely erected a fence in our backyard and in our school garden, but most often, when harvest season is over, he prefers me to be with my books than being with a hammer and nails.

The other day, my wife and I engaged the services of kuya Abet to put up a canopy for vanzie (short for Avanza, our car) in a parking space we are renting. The ever-increasing hot temperature (36.7 degrees celsius the other day according to news report) prodded us to finally house vanzie in a comfortable shed to arrest any possible damage to the paint as an effect of a prolong exposure to extreme heat. That’s just one of the many causes of damaging the paint, at least. (Source:  http://www.hotroddreamworks.com/car_care_tips.asp?page=paint_care.

I decided to take the role of assistant/laborer for kuya Abet to save cost on labor and to make my day productive. I was idle anyway and was really looking for something worthwhile to do while on vacation.

Kuya Abet started to work his metal tape measure on our first day jotting down every measurement he would take. He would pause once in a while and I can see him mumbling. I know he was talking to himself and seem to be performing mental calculation. When he was finished, he gave me a piece of paper where he listed down all the materials we need. Next was a quick visit to a junk shop to see if we can find used galvanized corrugated metal roofing, then off to hardware, and at 3 o’clock in the afternoon we got all the materials from the hardware delivered to us.   

The real action started on day two. Kuya Abet worked on erecting the framework first then we have to dig one hole each in four corners as a preparation for concrete foundation for the posts. I was digging in a real snail-pace as I was just using a small piece of steel bar. The stony ground made it difficult for us and we were sweating profusely while basking under the scorching heat of the sun. By the end of the day our project has already taken shape and kuya Abet mused that it will be finished the next day.

Kuya Abet working tirelessly

We returned to the junk shop on the third day for the corrugated metal roofing. We opted to buy it from there instead of getting brand new ones simply because brand new are quite expensive. The purpose of which will just be for a car shed anyway and the holes can easily be patched up by a Vulcaseal. Another thing, the old ones are more firm and sturdy while brand new ones are vulnerable. You can’t step on it else it will bend and create cracks which will eventually lead to damage. Truly, the quality of the new product deteriorates now a day compared to its original version.

While I watch kuya Abet do the final tightening of the corners of the shed, I was happy to see the fulfillment of the project. In my mind, I can’t help but admire carpenters like him for without them, who would we call on to for the jobs that our self can’t do? While carpentry is not a lofty profession in the Philippines because it does not provide steady income (they’re off-hire during rainy season), the knowledge and skills they have in producing the project they were asked to do so is something admirable. They’re engineers in their own right. The calculation and measurements have to be exact, same thing with determining the quantity of materials to be purchased. They also have to plan and organize their approach about the work at hand, and execute it. In planning, he also has to mobilize his helpers efficiently (if any), so they can finish the project within the reasonable period of time. There’s no doubt that in order for a carpenter to do all of these, he must have a healthy faculty, knowledge and skills, and a solid experience on top of having enough physical strength.

Vanzie in her newly-built comfortable shed, rain or shine.

 I suddenly remember Dan, my brother-in-law, who once worked as a laborer/construction worker in Manila. I also remember kuya Fred, another brother-in-law who’s also a carpenter, and of course, Rogelio, my beloved father. I realized how noble but difficult their job is and I can’t help but admire their patience in enduring the hardships of their job.

I salute all Carpenters and their helpers out there because without them I would have no roof over my head. God bless you all!