Hair Cut Day - Kwentong Barbero sa Barko

Bosun Arnold Pañe, the ship’s Designated Barber Onboard (DBO) and
off-signer Oiler Frances Degones.

WARNING/Babala: Totoo at pawang katotohan po ang mga kwentong barberong ito.

Hair Cut Day, pili na ng gupit na Pang-Shore Leave, Pang-Stay Onboard or Pang-Flight

Saturday is supposed to be half-day, right? Half day regular work in the morning, then in the afternoon- Drill Time! In our case, we must do at least 3 per Saturday to complete the allocated drills for the month.

On the lighter side of the day, Saturday is a Hair-Cut Day. It is a busy time for the Designated Barber Onboard (DBO). He is in charge of making the officers and crew looks presentable. And in return he earns extra money which comes from the Crew Welfare Fund. The budget for hair cut depends from ship to ship, in some it is even pro-bono. In our ship it is around 15 US $. There is a plan to raise it but we bought table tennis balls, table tennis racquets, chessboard, darts and dartboard, and 1 Terra byte portable hard drive to store movies. The chunk of the budget goes to these items so for the meantime DBO’s honorarium will stay as it is... Paging officers and crew who are reading this, customers, you can give a tip. It is voluntary but very much encourage.

Through the years, I have encountered different DBOs’ with varying skills and temperaments. Some learned the trade onboard. Walang marunong mag-gupit sa barko kaya sila-sila nag gugupitan hanggang maging bihasa na. Others learned it before they came onboard. Yung bang sanay na ginugupitan ng mga tambay at mga barkada habang sila ay tambay din at wala pang sakay.

When I was an Ordinary Seaman (OS), my Filipino Fitter was the ship’s DBO, his service was good among the Filipinos that was why the Japanese First Engineer was tempted to try it. It was the Fitter’s first experience to cut a foreigners hair and that with one of the vessel’s high ranking officials. He got nervous and nipped part of the 1st Engineer’s left ear. The poor victim still paid him one case of beer but never had his hair cut again until he disembarked. 

Noong naging Segundo Opisyal naman ako, may nakasama akong Griego (Greek) na kapitan na ginugupitan nya ang sarili kasi mahal daw gupit sa Greece kaya nasanay na siya lang ang gumugupit ng buhok nya. Parang Banaue Rice Terraces ang gupit nya. Siguro doon nauso ang layered na gupit!

Meron din akong nakasama na barbero sa barko na iisa lang ang alam nya na istilo ng gupit kaya pare parehas kami ng tabas ng buhok.

I have one Ordinary Seaman (OS), he would offer his service to cut one’s hair, pay the brave volunteer plus the OS will cook a snack of pancit canton. Do you think somebody will dare to volunteer? You bet no taker. 

Meron naman kwento si Mayor (Chief Cook) yung kasama nyang Segundo Makinista ay nagtanong kung sino marunong mag-gupit, nag prisinta naman itong si Wiper, ang kinalabasan - bao ang hugis ng buhok ni Segundo Makinista. Pang stay onboard pala na gupit ang alam ni Wiper!

Pang shore leave na hair cut? Well, dati yun, ngayon puro mabilisan na operation sa barko, bibihira na ang nakaka shore leave. Kung makaka shore leave ka, mabilis na ligo na at konting wisik ng pabango, kasi hindi pwedeng maghintay ng matagal ang seaman’s club na service bus sa pantalan sa mga lalabas. If there are seafarers’ wives or girlfriends reading this article, pag sinabing club- naku po, iba na naman ang pagkaka-intindi. Legitimate na club po ang mga seaman’s clubs, they are being run by Christian (Flying Angels, etc.) and Catholic (like Stella Maris) organizations. They are being run by volunteers too. Thanks to them, they make our port stay less stressful because they are the one bringing internet cards, phone cards, reading materials, pre-owned clothes and gifts during Christmas and some special occasions. Hope this clarifies the matter about our seaman’s club. So klaro na po ba?

Back to hair cut tayo, the most important hair cut onboard is the pang-flight na haircut. It is done several days before disembarkation so that in case the DBO got it wrong, there is still time for the hair to grow and for the DBO to fix it. For those with graying hair, hair coloring is also done to let the hair color settle to look more natural. Vanidoso rin po ang ibang mga nagbabarko, gumagamit ng Likas Papaya Whitening Soap at gusto maputi na uuwi ng Pinas para mukha daw galing abroad.  

Kayo magkano ang budget sa gupit sa barko? Ano ang hindi mo makakalimutang kwentong barbero sa barko? Share mo naman.

Wish ko lang, sana hindi ito masilip ng Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) baka ang Designated Barber Onboard (DBO) ay kailanganin na rin ng certification! Ahoy Mate! Kim Henares is that you?

Prelude for tomorrow’s blog post

Preparing for tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day celebration- Yesterday he was the Spiderman greasing the ship’s crane wires. Today he baked cakes and prepared cappuccino for everybody. A/B Leicester Cu is a multi-talented person. And ladies, he is still single.

How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Drop a line or two to let me know.