This Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) did not miss the chance to surprise his father after not seeing him for two years due to the COVID-19 restrictions in the country.
Jefferson Leaño Naraga said that he made sure that his father Julian had no idea that he would come home for the holidays.
Jefferson arrived in the country last Dec. 10, 2021. After his mandatory quarantine, he planned to surprise his father.
In the video, Jefferson pretended to buy a snack from his father’s sari-sari store. His father initially did not recognize him until he paid with Japanese money.
“Nung nalaman namin na makakauwi kame nitong 2021 hindi ko po sinabi sa kanila ‘yun kasi naisip ko i-surprise po ‘yung tatay ko,” Jefferson said.
“Sinabihan ko na din ’yung mga kapatid ko na i-surprise ko si daddy. Naisip ko na lang po bumili sa tindahan since nag tayo po kasi siya ng tindahan last year. Expect ko po kasi makikilala niya agad ako sa boses, pero hindi pala, kaya sobrang saya ko na nakita na nasurprise ko po siya at hindi po talaga siya makapaniwala na nandun po ako,” Jefferson recalled.
“Kahit nag vivideo call po kame hindi ko sinasabi na uuwi ako kahit nag tatanong siya,” he said adding that his dance groupmates, VTS on Tiktok gave the idea to surprise his father.
Jefferson said that he used to fly home every year but due to the pandemic in 2020, he wasn’t able to visit his family.
Jefferson has been working for an electronics company in Japan for three years. His father Julian, a former OFW, currently manages their mini sari-sari store.
“Sobrang bait po niya, halos 10 years po siya nag OFW para samin, kaya the best dad ever po talaga siya. Siya na lang po kasi kasama namin ngayon kasi wala na po si nanay nasa heaven na po,” he shared.
Netizens were touched by the heartwarming reunion of the father and son. The uploaded video on social media has already garnered more than 1.7 million views.
“Thank you daddy sa lahat ng sakripisyo mo samin, kahit wala na si mommy hindi mo kami pinapabayaan. Sa pagiging mabait na tatay samin, sana makasama ka pa namin ng matagal, alagaan mo lagi ang sarili at kalusugan mo. Thank you sa lahat lahat you’re the best Dad ever! Mahal na mahal ka namin,” he said when asked on his message to his father.
