Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts

Ang Mga Alahas na Gawa ni Jenny

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Napansin ko agad ang puwesto ni Jenny (Jennifer Piana), sa idinaos na Trade Fair sa SM Bacoor dahil namumukod-tangi ang kanyang mga produkto. Ito ay mga alahas na yari sa tanso o copper, semi-precious stones at crystals – mga singsing, bracelet, kuwentas, at hikaw. Maganda at pulido o malinis ang pagkakagawa kaya naakit agad akong magpagawa ayon sa naisip kong disenyo para sa isang bracelet na ginamitan ng “Indian jade eye”. Ito ngayon ay ginagamit ko araw-araw, kahit nasa bahay ako.

Ang tanso ay kinikilala dahil sa health benefits nito, mula pa noong panahong hindi pa pinapanganak si Hesus. Ito ay itinuturing na gamot laban sa rayuma at arthritis. Ang elementong tanso ay bahagi ng ating katawan dahil kasama ito sa mga dumadaloy sa ating dugo, at iba pa tulad ng zinc, silver, manganese, etc. Katulad ng tanso, ang mga batong matitingkad ang disenyo at kulay ay hindi lang pampalamuti sa katawan bilang alahas ang gamit, dahil nagbabalanse din sila ng enerhiya sa ating katawan. Dahil diyan, ang mga nadiskubreng libingan ng mga tao noong unang panahon, lalo na nang mga namumuno sa kanila, tulad ng pharaoh ng Ehipto ay palaging may mga iba’t –ibang uri ng bato tulad ng jade, agate, quartz, opal, onyx, tektite at mga metal na bagay.

Hindi tumatagal ang buhay ng mga mikrobyo sa tanso, kaya noong unang panahon pa rin, ang mga ginagamit na lagayan ng tubig at lutuan, pati ng pagkain ay gawa sa tanso. Dahil dito, marami na ring mga ospital ngayon ang gumagamit ng tansong material na ginawang stainless para hindi mahirap linisin, tulad ng mesa at lababo.

Ayon kay Jenny, dati ay taga-benta lang daw siya ng nagawa nang mga alahas na tanso, subalit dahil curious, nanood din daw siya kung paanong gawin ang mga ito. Bandang huli ay nagdesisyon siyang gumawa ng sarili niyang mga alahas upang ibenta sa mga kaibigan at tuwing may mga trade fairs. Umabot sa 12,000 pesos ang una niyang ipinundar para makabili ng mga gamit sa paggawa, pati na ang mga tansong kawad, mga semi-precious stones at kristal.

Sa awa naman daw ng Diyos ay nakakaraos siya tuwing sumali sa mga trade fair, kahit medyo may kamahalan ang upa sa isang puwestong maliit na sa tantiya ko ay 3feet by 3feet. Nangangarap si Jenny na sana ay magkaroon ng sariling puwesto dahil tuwing walang trade fair ay home-based lang siya at umaasa sa mga order na papasok sa pamamagitan ng facebook. Ito lang ang pinagkikitaan niya bilang isang single mom ng kanyang lalaking anak na pitong taong gulang.

Sa mga oorder ng alahas, makokontak si Jenny sa cellphone number 09064857384. May facebook din siya para sa kanyang mga produkto, i-google search lang ang “faceboo.com/coperasso”.  Pwedeng magpagawa sa kanya ng alahas batay sa sariling design. Pero, sana naman, kung oorder ay damihan na para hindi talo si Jenny kung ide-deliver niya.

Fun and Fulfillment in Switching Jobs

…just don’t be choosy

By Apolinario Villalobos

This is about enjoying any kind of job that comes our way. I am sharing my actual experiences which may not apply to new snooty graduates, especially, those from exclusive schools and universities, who expect managerial position in their first job.

Contractualization is a big labor issue today as it smacks of exploitation. It practically douses the job applicant’s quest for job security. While all labor groups are moving heaven and earth to convince the government and employers to scrap it, those looking for jobs, in the meantime should not sulk, but instead, try to make do with any job that they may find, albeit, temporarily. They should console themselves with the thought that somehow, the stint could fill the space on their bio-data that asks for work experience.

I earned my first salary as a laborer in a home-based “factory” where I washed empty bottles to be filled with soy sauce and vinegar. When I was in first year college, I was a working student (today, student assistant), assigned to clean eight rooms and a playground. While in third year college, I was hired as a contract employee by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. I did the various jobs wholeheartedly – with fun. They became my strong foundation when I was hired by an airline company, as they prepared me physically, emotionally, and mentally.

I did not think twice when I was told that my assignment as a ticketing/freight clerk was in the far-flung Tablas island of Romblon. My colleagues in the batch of new hires were assigned either in Davao, Manila, Legazpi and Zamboanga. I did no stay in Tablas for long because I was relocated to Manila to edit our department’s black and white travel magazine. From that job, I moved on to do field sales. Much later, I was moved to another job, this time administrative management in nature, assisting the Vice President of the whole Philippines and Guam Region.

I accepted all assignments without complaint, not even scared despite my limited course which was Bachelor of Arts in English and History. I just enjoyed what I was doing and did my best in learning whatever was necessary to enhance my performance every time a new assignment was given. After leaving the company, I switched again to other jobs to keep me going. I developed operations and training manuals, packaged tours for travel agents, did editing and translation, composed poems posthaste for special occasions, wrote speeches, and accepted commitments as resource person in tourism seminars.

But the ultimate joy I feel is in doing a special kind of “field work” - in slums that some people fear to visit. Proudly, I can say that those I meet in these places which for some are God-forsaken, made me realize more, that indeed, life is like a book filled with diverse and colorful stories of struggle. I am not asking others to do the last mentioned that I am doing, though.

Each one of us has a different kind of advocacy in life which we can enjoy if we treat it as a continuing process and just have fun in what we do.

Dedicated to those whose hard work keeps others alive……

A blessed Labor Day to all!

Blessed be the Man Who Toils

With Honest Mind that Guides His Hands

by Apolinario Villalobos

When the mind is clouded with deceit

No decent toil is done with it…

As the mind is emboldened with fraudulence

Fear is no longer felt for the consequence.

Blessed be the man whose honest mind

Guides the dexterity of his hands,

Blessed by his good intentions

To earn by dint of sacrifice and sincerity

So that not a soul be exploited

Or get trampled with audacity.