Benjie grew up in Iloilo, where electricity outages were a normal part of life. As a child, he often watched linemen climb poles in their neighborhood, repairing tangled wires under the heat of the sun or during heavy rains. He admired their bravery and skill. Years later, after completing a vocational course in electrical installation and maintenance, he followed that very path. He first worked with a local power company, where he learned the trade climbing poles, splicing wires, installing transformers, and ensuring communities had power.
But as the eldest in his family, Benjie felt the heavy weight of responsibility. His younger siblings were still in school, and his parents were struggling with medical bills. Despite enjoying his job in the Philippines, his salary was not enough to cover their needs. With determination, he applied was not enough to cover their needs. With determination, he applied for work abroad and was hired as a lineman in Saudi Arabia.
Life overseas was nothing like home. His first assignment was in a desert area where temperatures soared during the day and dropped sharply at night. He and his fellow linemen were tasked to maintain and expand power lines across long stretches of barren land. The job was grueling climbing high poles with safety harnesses, carrying heavy equipment, and braving strong winds while balancing meters above the ground. Sometimes, they worked during sandstorms or under a scorching sun that seemed to burn through their helmets.
Despite the risks, Benjie approached every task with focus. He knew one wrong move could mean an accident. Every wire I connect, he thought, is not just about electricity. It’s about lightning homes, powering schools, and giving life to communities.
Loneliness often crept in after work. At night, he stayed in a cramped accommodation with fellow workers from different countries India, Bangladesh, Nepal. They shared stories over simple meals, each one carrying his own sacrifices for the families they left behind. Benjie missed his parents home-cooked meals, the laughter of his siblings, and the sound of waves from the nearby sea back in Iloilo. Yet every payday, when he sent money home, he felt a sense of fulfillment. His remittances kept his siblings in school and helped pay off hospital bills.
One unforgettable moment in his career happened during a major blackout in the city. Their team was deployed to restore power as quickly as possible. The work lasted almost 24 hours, with only short breaks. Fatigue weighed on him, but when the lights finally flickered back across thousands of homes, Benjie felt a rush of pride. He had played a part in bringing comfort to families he didn’t even know.
Years later, his sacrifices bore fruit. His siblings finished their studies one became a nurse, another a teacher. His parents no longer worried about finances. When he returned home for a vacation, his neighbors treated him with respect, calling him the one who lights up lives.
Benjie’s story as an OFW lineman is not just about climbing poles or connecting wires. It is about the courage to work far from home, the patience to endure hardships, and the love that pushes someone to risk his safety every day. For him, the lines he connected abroad were more than electric wires they were lifelines that tied his sacrifices to his family’s brighter future.
