Pinili ni Gerald Santos na tanggapin at lampasan ang dinanas na sekswal na pang-aabuso noong siya ay 15 taong gulang lamang noong 2005.
Read: Gerald Santos recalls how he dealt with trauma over sexual abuse
"Yeah, I've accepted it and I think, you know, that made me who I am today," saad ni Gerald sa panayam ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
Patuloy niya: “Kung hindi din dahil sa mga nangyari ngayon, hindi ako magiging ganitong strong na tao, na person.
"What happened to me, you know, I've accepted that fact na may mga bagay talaga na mangyayari sa atin, na hindi natin ginusto.
“Pero iyon, meron dapat tayong acceptance dun, and it should not define us.”
Test of character para kay Gerald ang magpatuloy sa buhay sa kabila ng karanasan.
"And then, patience… I think, yeah, I've been really patient,” dagdag ni Gerald.
Labing-siyam (19) na taon ang lumipas bago nagkalakas ng loob si Gerald na isapubliko ang aniya'y dinanas na pang-aabuso.
“Hindi pa ba patience yun? So, yeah, I've been really patient,” seryosong ulit ni Gerald.
Sa aspeto ng kanyang showbiz career ay naging pasensyoso rin ang singer.
Si Gerald ay grand champion ng second season ng GMA-7 reality talent search na Pinoy Pop Superstar (2005-2006).
"Actually, before dumating yung break ko sa Miss Saigon, we've waited for like six years before that happened.
"Nasa musical theater din ako, nasa local.
"But you know, siyempre hindi naman tayo masyadong napapansin that time, so iba yung level siyempre nung makarating ka sa international.
“So, you know, waiting for that big break is also, you know, took a lot of patience."
Taong 2016 noong gumanap si Gerald bilang Thuy sa Miss Saigon UK International Tour na umikot sa mga bansa sa Europa mula 2017 hanggang 2019.
Nakapanayam si Gerald sa contract sigining niya para sa HAPHOW, noong February 6, 2025, sa Gateway Centre, sa Paseo De Magallanes Center, Makati City.
Read: Taong 2024, nabalot ng mga isyu ng rape at sexual harassment
GERALD SANTOS ON HIS ROLE IN THE MUSICAL HAPHOW
Isang original Filipino musical, ang HAPHOW ay mula sa produksyon ng CityDanse Academy at Show Master Artist Management and Public Relations.
Mapapanood ang HAPHOW sa Newport World Resorts sa May 28-30 at sa September 5-7, 2025.
Si MJ Aspacio ang artistic director, playwright, composer, at arranger.Ang musical director ay si Antonino Rommel Ramilo, habang creative director at music arranger si Dr. Salve B. Arbo.
Ang HAPHOW ay acronym para sa iba-ibang virtues: Humility, Acceptance, Patience, Honesty, Open-mindedness, at Willingness.
Pambata ang musical play, at isang catterpillar ang gagampanang karakter ni Gerald.
First time raw ni Gerald na umarte nang naka-costume.
"I'm a bit anxious, of course, magiging butterfly, tapos yun, magiging caterpillar.
"But you know, I'm excited, mas lamang yung excitement, of course, kasi first time nga.
"There will be a lot of firsts dito sa musical na ‘to, soexcited ako," ang nakangiting pahayag ni Gerald.
Lahat ng mga awit na kakantahin ni Gerald sa HAPHOW ay orihinal na komposisyon ni MJ Aspacio.
Paano inaatake ni Gerald ang pagkanta ng orihinal na kanta kumpara sa pagkanta ng cover songs?
Lahad niya, “Basically, ito ano, e, I will really immerse myself to the character first and then read the lyrics, internalize, and immerse myself to it para I can really relay ng tama yung message.
“So basically, it's gonna be out of yung instinct ko as an actor, how I will render and how I will sing the song.”
Read: Gerald Santos speaks up about "sexual harassment" at 15
GERALD SANTOS ON THE VIRTUES THAT HAPHOW STAND FOR
Alin sa mga katangian sa HAPHOW ang pinakamalapit sa kanya?
"Humility," sagot ni Gerald.
"Modesty aside, siguro masasabi ko naman, with my experience in the industry, with how long I am here, and sa experience ko, sa narating ko, na-achieve ko, I think naging humble enough naman ako.
"So, I would like to relate to that word, e, humility.
"And then, acceptance, of course, you know, like what happened to me last year," tukoy niya sa isinapubliko niyang karanasan sa sekswal na pang-aabuso.
Patuloy ni Gerald: "Honesty, yeah, I've been honest.
"Yung nangyari sa akin, matagal na siya. And then, nung lumabas yung issue na yun, you know, I was honest in public, with everyone, you know.
"I was naked in public with what happened to me, so I was being honest in public and also to myself."
Naka-relate rin siya sa ibang katangiang tatalakayin sa play.
“Open-mindedness, masasabi ko open-minded naman ako na tao and open-minded din ako sa pagre-reinvent ng aking career.
“With this one also, you know, I was really open-minded with accepting this [project], and yeah, with my artistry.
"Willingness to change, yeah, I think I've embraced that fact as well. Na yung change is the only constant thing in the world.
"Walang permanent, e, sa mundo, so we always have to be willing to change and adapt to change."
Read: Enzo Almario, umaming biktima ng rape sa edad na 12
WHY GERALD SANTOS ACCEPTED THE PROJECT
Tinanggap daw ni Gerald ang musical play dahil naniniwala siya sa proyekto.
“So, when they sent me yung songs, yung synopsis ng story, sabi ko, ‘Wow, it resonates with me!' yung character, yung story.
"Because like what I said earlier, I've been trying to be a role model sa mga kabataan, sa mga tao, so why not accept this?
"Yung message ni HAPHOW, parang lahat, nakaka-relate ako sa mga sinasabi.
"And yung mga songs, very commercial yung mga songs, napakaganda, catchy. So sabi ko, ‘Yeah, why not?’"
Kahit pambata ay pang "all ages" daw ang makaka-enjoy ng kuwento.