Antonio “Tony” Dela Cruz grew up in Iloilo, where life was simple but often difficult. His father taught him the basics of carpentry when he was just a boy how to measure wood, hammer nails straight, and polish furniture until it gleamed. By the time Tony was a teenager, he was already making small chairs and cabinets, which neighbors happily bought. His hands grew strong and calloused, but with each finished work, his heart filled with pride.
Despite his skill, Tony found it hard to make ends meet in the Philippines. Carpentry jobs were seasonal, and the pay was barely enough to cover food, let alone the education of his three children. When he heard about an agency hiring skilled carpenters for a construction company in Saudi Arabia, he grabbed the chance, even if it meant being away from his family.
Arriving in Riyadh, Tony was overwhelmed by the vastness of the projects. He was assigned to build wooden frameworks for houses, cabinets for offices, and furniture for newly constructed hotels. The work demanded precision everything had to meet exact measurements, or the whole structure could fail. Unlike the simple tools he used back home, the job required power tools and advanced equipment. At first, he felt out of place, but his natural craftsmanship helped him adapt quickly.
The days were long and exhausting. Tony often worked under the blazing sun, his shirt drenched with sweat, his muscles aching from lifting heavy wood. At night, he returned to the worker’s quarters, where he shared a small room with men from different countries. Loneliness crept in, especially when he thought of his children. He missed the warmth of their hugs and the sound of their laughter.
But Tony always reminded himself why he was there to build a better future for them. His sacrifice was not just measured in the wooden beams he shaped, but in the tuition he sent home, the groceries he provided, and the roof he eventually saved up to repair. Every paycheck carried not just money, but love carved into it.
Over time, his dedication earned recognition. His supervisors noticed his craftsmanship and promoted him as a team leader. He became the go to person for difficult projects, often asked to design and assemble intricate wooden structures. One hotel project even showcased his work in the lobby a massive carved wooden partition that drew admiration from guests. Tony never bragged, but deep inside, he felt proud.
During his rest days, Tony used his skills to help fellow OFWs. He repaired broken furniture in their rooms or built small wooden shelves to make their living spaces more comfortable. For him, carpentry wasn’t just a job it was a way of making life a little easier, wherever he was.
Years later, Tony returned home with enough savings to open his own small carpentry and furniture shop. His eldest son, inspired by his father, studied architecture, while his younger children pursued their own dreams with the support Tony’s sacrifices had provided.
When people asked him what it meant to be a carpenter abroad, Tony always said: Carpentry is not just about shaping wood it’s about shaping lives. Every nail I hammered, every piece of wood I measured, was a piece of my family’s future.
And just like the furniture he built, Tony’s legacy was sturdy, lasting, and full of love.
