Among the comedy movies he appeared in were "Wooly Booly: Classmate kong Alien", "Wooly Booly 2: Ang Titser kong Alien" and "Paikot-ikot". Not long after, Viva launched him as a junior comedian in the movie "Rocky en Rolly", in which he starred opposite Jimmy Santos. The movie was a success, and he went on to "Tootsie Wootsie", where he worked with Herbert Bautista and Keempee de Leon. Sometimes afterward, Santiago transitioned to action films with "Angelito San Miguel: Batang City Jail", and went on to star in "Magnong Rehas", "Pita: Terror ng Kalookan", "Noel Juico, Batang Kriminal", and "Dillinger ng Dose Pares". His last major movie as an action star was "" in 2001.