OPM singer Erik Santos shared why he was excited to learn that he would be performing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In an Instagram post, Santos revealed that his father, Renato Santos, worked as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia for 25 years—the same country where he and fellow singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino performed for Jeddah Season: Once Again!
“[I] was very excited when I learned I was going to perform again in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the country where my Daddy Natz used to work as an OFW for 25 years,” Santos wrote in his caption.
Santos proudly shared photos of his visit to Juffali, the company where his father served as an engineer.
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“I only wanted to have a picture at the facade of the building, but they allowed me to go inside and see the whole compound. It felt surreal touring the whole place especially when they brought me to the exact building where my father used to have his office. Yung mga dating nakikita ko lang sa pictures nung bata pa ako, nasa harap ko na ngayon,” the singer-actor said.
Santos also mentioned that he was able to speak with his father’s former colleagues, which gave him a sense of peace, “knowing that my father truly was a good man.”
“Jeddah will always have a special place in my heart. My experience here will always be one for the books. For me, it’s the place that has given my whole family HOPE and a better life growing up,” Santos said.
Santos’ father passed away in August 10, 2023.
