Inspiring Kabayan Series five - LODI, Petmalu, Maam and the one who danced with Chester's mum- Patrick B Cans

Patrick was one of my first houseboys back in 2012

I first met Patrick when he came to work for me as a houseboy in 2012. Back then he was working as a storekeeper for a company called Lumen Arts in Bahrain. He did not have a car so I had to collect him from his accommodation and in the 5 years he worked for me he lived in 8 different places. I soon discovered this was another Pinoy trick as an OFW to send more money home.

Some jobs in Bahrain came with free accommodation ( and I was lucky to have a free two bedroom house in Awali) , while other employers just give a housing allowance. What the Pinoys then do is club together putting as many people as allowed in one flat to reduce the per person rental. They then constantly scan the adverts and if they see somewhere cheaper they move. If you earn 120 bd a month ( 15,000 peso ) and you have a flat on your own for 60 bd ( 7,500 peso) a month you can only send 60 bd a month ( 7,500 peso) home, less what you need for food. However if you share a room with others the cost goes down to maybe 30 bd a month meaning you can send 90 bd home!

Patrick was an expert at saving money this way and as a result everywhere he went people would come up and greet him. When I asked how he knew this person or that he said he had worked with them, shared a room with them or sang with them.

Tip one - never stay in the same place, keep finding cheaper places

Tip two, I learnt from Patrick , to be a successful OFW you need to generate revenue beside your main job. Patrick worked for me one day a week cleaning ( 20 bd) and sang in Karaoke competitions at night often winning 100 bd in prize money.

Patrick Canoneo , as he was then, Model and Karaoke star

Put the two together and you go from 120 bd earnings to 240 with Karaoke and part time and your expenditure goes from 60 to 30 , so now we are sending 210 bd a month home , instead of 60 bd. (27,000 peso instead of 7,000!)

Patrick cycling in Germany in 2017

Patrick never ceased to amaze me with how little money he needed to live on. One day we went to the ATM and he happily announced he had 4 bd (515 Peso) to last 3 weeks and then he went and bought a pair of Hush Puppies Shoes ( which I paid 18 bd for- 2319 peso the previous week). I asked how he managed that. He explained the previous week he wanted to buy the same ones I bought but he asked the salesman and he said they would be on special offer the next week. So he waited and got them on a buy one get one free deal. I said that's still 9 bd a pair. He laughed, and explained his friend paid 18 bd for one pair and he had the free pair!

His Final tip was to mix with Executives and he got a job as Executive Storekeeper at Reef Island when he met the Chairman there! He is now married in Germany with a German passport, having relocated again, changed job again and learnt his 5th Language ( English, Arabic, Tagalog, Bisaya and German!) . Hats off to you Mrs. Garmin ( he used to guide me everywhere as we drove around Bahrain saying "in 100 meters turn right onto Shaikh Salman bin Al Khalifa road"

Patrick and his Husband at his wedding in Germany- suit from Ukay Ukay for 3 bd ( 387 peso)

Happily Patrick updates us regularly from Germany, and his vacations in Europe, and I know he is missed by his family here in Bahrain, and me! However I also know that as an Inspiring Kabayan he will continue to be highly successful in the current phase of his life with his husband in Germany.