“Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo is a graphic illustration of the life and times of OFWs in the Middle East, and on account of this viewers can relate to it because they are themselves the subject,” Tago told Arab News.

He said the soap opera, to be broadcast from April 16 by The Filipino Channel (TFC), illustrates the joy and frustration of OFWs, including the problems they encounter.

TFC brings ABS-CBN's programs, films and newscasts to Filipinos all over the world, including Saudi Arabia.

“In this connection, I would like to congratulate ABS-CBN, which owns and operates TFC. It is another milestone as far as the OFWs are concerned. It will be remembered that it was ABS-CBN which pioneered in showing programs, movies and newscasts to all overseas Filipinos through TFC,” Tago said.

He also urged OFWs to take time to watch Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo when TFC starts showing it because they will be able to obtain “nuggets of wisdom so that they can make the necessary adjustments to make their lives as OFWs as meaningful as it could be.”

The soap opera, which is part of a bigger project, features Jake Cuenca, Bangs Garcia and Shaina Magdayao. It gives a firsthand view of the life of OFWs in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the Middle East under the direction of Lito Cayetano and Manny Palo.

“It's a dramatic soap opera whose theme is love. It can hurt the viewer but sometimes we have to face the truth to do better next time,” said Maribel Hernaez, TFC Middle East regional marketing manager.

“This is the first time that we have held an advance preview of a soap opera we intend to serialize. However, we have films on OFWs that were shown earlier.”

These include “Dubai,” a 2005 feature starring John Lloyd Cruz and Aga Mulach; “Milan,” featuring Piolo Pascual and Claudine Barretto (2006); “Caregiver,” featuring Sharon Cuneta (2009); and “A Mother's Story” with Pokwang as the lead character and shot in North America.

“It can be noted, however, that usually the life of Filipino workers overseas are featured in ‘MMK’ or ‘Maalala Mo Kaya?’ (Will You Remember It?) and it was Charo Santos-Concio who came up with the idea,” Hernaez said.

Santos-Concio, who is also the president and chief operating officer of ABS-CBN, is MMK's host.

“I know that fellow OFWs in Saudi Arabia will like and love 'Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo' because it's their life being depicted. I encourage — and invite them all — to watch the teleserye when it starts on TFC a few days from now,” said Hernaez, who received her bachelor’s degree in broadcast communication from the University of the Philippines in 1997.