Kayod Marino

by Odulino “Dole” Tomaneng

I would like to share the experiences that I have in my years of sailing, which I believe has made me a better person.  Working as a seafarer afforded me to make friends all over the world, loads of them, both in the ship and on the shore. 

I have met up with a lot of our town mates, friends and relatives in different parts of the world, sharing the latest news about our beloved town, Magsingal.  This is usually done with a bottle of beer, thanks for their warm hospitality.

Having visited so many countries and having worked with people from different cultures, the world seems to me, bigger – my purpose in life, greater.

If you ask me which country is the most beautiful or the best that I have been to, all I can say is, they are all beautiful.  But the best remains to be my land of birth - the land of my people, our very own Philippines.  Na kung tawagin natin ay Pilipinas nating minumutya.  Especially in our beloved town of Magsingal, where we all belong.

As I tried to recall the last 23 years of my life, when I was an apprentice mate (cadet), it was my first time to board a plane to join my first ship (crude tanker) in the Middle East. 

I was alone and nervous, but I knew very well that God was with me and He will show me the way till I see the funnel and step on the gangway of my ship.

At long last, I heard someone shouted, “Welcome aboard”!  It was the British boatswain barking, holding a mop and a pail for me, telling me to change to my work clothes, and ordering me to clean those many toilets in the ship. 

That was my first job order and my footprints as a sailor have began.  That was 23 years ago.  Talagang struggle dahil wala pa akong almusal ay pinagtrabaho na agad ako.  It’s really a kayod marino.  Mahirap talaga pero kailangan ay magtiis dahil ito na ang pag-asa na makaahon sa hirap ng buhay. 

Pero ngayon ay masasabi kong may tagumpay din ako dahil tumagal ako dito sa serbisyo ng 23 years at nakapag-asawa ng mabait at mapagmahal.  Higit sa lahat ay nabiyayaan ng apat na malulusog at matatalinong anak.  They are my blessings, my inspiration and my triumph in my 23 years in the sea. 

Thank God, the Almighty Father, He is the beacon of hope to my family at home and he is the light house of my ship keeping me safe and sound against the perils of the sea.

I hope that this will serve as an inspiration to the younger generation whenever they plan to go abroad to look for greener pastures.  Or they can stroll in the sands of our Pagsanaan shores to decide if they want to fix a sail in the future. 

The great thing about being a sailor is the fact that you see the world for free, not to mention the beautiful ladies in those foreign shores. 

Mabuhay tayong lahat!