Arturo had always found beauty in colors. Growing up in a small barangay in Bicol, he loved watching the sunsets paint the sky in shades of orange and purple. But instead of painting canvases, life led him to painting walls, houses, and buildings. From a young age, he learned the craft from his father, who worked as a local house painter. By the time Arturo was in his twenties, he could already mix paint perfectly, apply coatings evenly, and turn old, dull walls into something new and vibrant.
Despite his skill, however, life in the Philippines was difficult. Earnings from local painting jobs were not enough to sustain his growing family. His eldest daughter was about to start school, and he wanted to provide her with opportunities he never had. When a neighbor returned from Dubai with stories of higher wages for construction painters, Arturo made up his mind. He applied through an agency, passed the trade test, and soon found himself bound for the Middle East.
Arriving in Dubai, Arturo was overwhelmed by the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets. He was assigned to a construction company as an industrial painter, tasked with coating steel structures, painting walls, and finishing interiors of massive projects. The work was grueling. Most days, he wore protective gear under the scorching sun, climbing scaffolds to paint high rise buildings. Every stroke of his roller or spray gun carried with it a mixture of sweat, exhaustion, and perseverance.
There were moments of fear, especially when he worked at dizzying heights, balancing on planks while painting beams several stories above the ground. Yet, Arturo reminded himself that each stroke of his brush wasn’t just covering steel or concrete it was painting a brighter future for his family back home.
Homesickness often hit him hard. After long shifts, he would return to the cramped workers dormitory and scroll through pictures of his wife and children on his phone. Sometimes he would video call them, hiding his tired face behind a smile. His daughter would proudly show him her drawings, and Arturo would always tell her, Anak, keep coloring your dreams. Papa is working hard for you.
Despite the hardships, there were small moments that kept him going. The pride in seeing a newly completed building shine under the desert sun, the camaraderie among fellow OFWs who shared meals and stories after work, and the recognition he earned when his supervisors praised the quality of his painting. He was meticulous, never leaving uneven strokes or unfinished corners, and that discipline made him stand out.
After years of sacrifice, Arturo managed to save enough to renovate his family’s small house back home. He painted it himself during his vacation, choosing bright blue walls for the exterior and warm earth tones inside. His daughter, now older, helped him with a brush, laughing as she left uneven marks. Arturo smiled, telling her, Every color has meaning, just like every sacrifice has a purpose.
His story became known in their town not just as a painter abroad, but as a father who painted his family’s future with resilience, hard work, and love.
For Arturo, being an OFW painter was never just about adding color to walls. It was about painting hope, perseverance, and dreams onto the canvas of life.
