When I Met Build Change / Noong Makilala Ko Si Build Change

A bilingual blog in English and Tagalog by Ritche Miñoza, Builder Trainer, Philippines

When I was a young man I was already in the construction industry. When I got married, I had moved to Gui­uan, Eastern Samar, when an unexpected typhoon arrived, Typhoon Yolanda. After the typhoon many organizations gave aid, and one of those was Build Change. Noon pa man ay marunong na ako sa konstruksyon. Binata pa ako ay nasa konstruksyon na ang trabaho ako. Nang makapag-asawa ako ay lumipat ako sa Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon ay dumating ang isang napakalakas na bagyo, iyon na nga ang Bagyong Yolanda. Matapos ang bagyo ay marami ang nagabot ng tulong sa Pilipinas at isa na doon ang Build Change.

Together with TESDA (the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), Build Change looked at the situation and condition of the houses, and called in local home builders. This group was invited to undergo training and pass a test to receive an NC-11 certificate, which certifies you as a carpenter or mason. I wanted to participate because of the certificate, although I told myself, “I know enough already.” Even my wife asked me why would I want to undergo training, when I knew how to build houses already. I told her I needed the certificate in case I decided to apply for a carpenter or mason job—at least then I would have a supporting document. So I attended the 15-day training. Kasama ang TESDA, tiningnan ng Build Change ang sitwasyon at ang kalagayan ng mga kabahayan. Ipinatawag nila ang lahat ng mga marunong gumawa ng bahay para sa isang training. Kung sino man ang makakapasa ay makakatangap ng NC-11 bilang patunay at sertipikasyon sa pagiging isang ganap na karpintero o mason. Gusto kong sumali para sa NC-11. Nagtaka ang aking asawa dahil alam niya naman na marunong na ako sa konstruksyon. Ipinaliwanag ko sa kanya and importansya ng NC-11. Kung mayroon ako nito, maari ko itong i-presenta sa papasukan kong trabaho bilang katibayan na nakaattend at nakapagtapos ako ng training. Kaya naman umatted ako ng 15 days training na may kasama pang allowance.

The hands-on component of Ritche’s builder training in November, 2014.

At the beginning of the training I rarely listened because I knew that I could already build houses. I even thought that perhaps our trainers were not as skilled as me, so when they asked me questions, I confidently replied that “I’d rather do it in the field.” I was not alone; my fellow trainees and I would boast about our accomplishments and knowledge of carpentry and masonry. Some of the trainees did not finish the training, because they thought it was just a waste of time. So only a few of us finished. Habang nagtatrainig ay halos hindi ako nakikinig, kasi malaki ang tiwala ko sa sarili ko na marunong na ako. Hindi rin ako tiwala sa mga nagtuturo kaya naman madalas kong sinasabi kapag may mga tanong sa akin ay sa aktwal ko na lang gagawin. Halos lahat kami ay ganun ang pagiiisip. Kahit nagsasalita at nagsasagawa ng pagtetraining ay hindi kami nakikinig bagkos ay nagyayabang pa kami dahil marunong na kami sa pagmamason at pagkakarpintero. Hindi na rin nagpatuloy ang iba kong mga kasama dahil sa alam na nga namin kung ano ang kanilang mga itinuturo at mukang nagsasayang lamang kami ng aming mga oras at panahon kaya naman kaunti lamang kaming nagpatuloy.

Ritche with his fellow builder training program graduates in November, 2014 in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines.

During the training, my mind slowly changed. I had many questions, but our Build Change trainers/engineers were always able to answer and explain them. The picture above shows us, the only ones who passed the training by Build Change. Build Change gave us hands-on projects and that is when my knowledge about construction changed. Noong makita ko ang koneksyon, doon na unti unting nagbago ang takbo ng isip ko. Marami pa pala akong hindi alam at mga katanungan na naipaliwanag naman ng mga trainor at Engineer ng Build Change. Sa larawang ito ay makikita ninyo kaming mga pumasa sa training at pagsusulit na ibinigay ni Build Change. Kami din ang inuna nilang bigyan ng mga proyekto at doon na nagbago ang aking kaalaman sa konstruksyon.

Even now that I live in Manila, there are people in Guiuan asking me when am I going home, so I can build their house. I have learned so much about construction since then, and I’m still learning. That’s why my life changed after that training, and now I work at Build Change. Kahit na ako ay nandito ngayon sa Maynila, may mga nagtatanong kung kailang ako makakauwi sa Easter Samar para makapagpagawa sila ng bahay. Ngayon ay marami na akong kaalaman sa konstruksyon at patuloy pa itong nadaragdagan kaya naman napakalaki ng pinagbago ng buhay ko simula noong nakapag-training ako kay Build Change, lalo pa ngayon na dito na ako nagtatrabaho.

From Trainee to Trainer: Ritche leads a training in Laguna, Philippines in May, 2018.