For Andres “Andy” Lacsamana, life in the small town of San Fabian, Pangasinan was both simple and hard. A father of four, Andy spent years hopping from one construction project to another within Luzon. The work was inconsistent and the pay barely enough to cover rice, school fees, and the occasional doctor’s visit. When a former co-worker called him about a construction job in Saudi Arabia, Andy hesitated. He had never been on an airplane, much less lived in another country. But with his wife gently encouraging him and his children looking up with hopeful eyes, he said yes.
The recruitment process was long and exhausting. Medical exams, paperwork, training sessions it all blurred together. But when Andy finally set foot in Riyadh, he was overwhelmed. The desert heat hit him like a wall. The buildings were towering, the streets foreign, and the language utterly unfamiliar. Yet he held his head high, driven by the silent promise he made to his family back home.
Andy’s first job was as a steel fixer at a massive construction site for a shopping complex. Days began before sunrise and ended after dusk. The work was grueling lifting rebar, tying wire, climbing scaffolding but Andy never complained. His calloused hands and aching back were symbols of his sacrifice.
There were days when the loneliness would sneak in. In their shared accommodation, he would scroll through photos of his children, rereading old messages and voice notes just to feel close to them. The long days blurred into weeks, and Andy slowly found a rhythm. He learned a few Arabic phrases, made friends with fellow Pinoys and Nepalese workers, and grew accustomed to drinking bitter coffee during their 15 minute breaks under makeshift tarpaulin tents.
Despite the challenges, Andy found purpose in each remittance he sent home. His children were able to stay in school, and his wife Maricel started a small sari-sari store. Each progress photo they sent the new roof on their house, the repainted walls, the birthdays cakes became trophies of his labor.
After three years without going home, Andy finally got a one month vacation. When he stepped off the bus in Pangasinan, his children ran to him like he was a returning hero. And in many ways, he was. Though his arms were thinner and his face more weathered, Andy held them tightly, whispering, “Para sa inyo lahat to.”
Back in Saudi after his break, Andy became a leadman. He was responsible for training new workers, many of whom were nervous first timers like he once was. He took the role seriously, guiding them not just with skills but with patience and kindness.
Andy worked in the Middle East for a total of eight years. When he finally came home for good, he brought with him more than just savings he brought stories, lessons, and dreams fulfilled. He used part of his hard earned money to start a small construction supply store and began accepting local building projects.
Now, he no longer works under the scorching sun but supervises teams from his hometown. And when asked how he made it through all those years abroad, and simply says, “Lahat ng pawis, sulit pag para sa pamilya.
