Even as a child growing up in Bogo, Cebu, Sharon Garcia Magdayao Vina Morales knew that she wanted to be a singer. It was nine-year-old Sharon’s singing with her church choir that would lead to her big break. The local parish priest, Fr. Fritz Malinao, was also a songwriter. He recognized Sharon’s talent and asked her to sing one of his compositions as an entry in the Cebu Pop Music Festival. The song, “Paglaum,” (”hope” in Visayan), not only won the Grand Prize but also earned the “Best Interpreter” award for its young singer.
Sharon and her family were surprised to learn that representatives from Viva Films had seen her performance. They were so impressed with her talents that they immediately offered her a singing and acting contract.
The Magdayao family was very supportive of their gifted daughter. They sold everything they had in Cebu and moved to Manila. The family entrusted ten-year-old Sharon’s career to Mina del Rosario of Viva Films, who became like a second mother to Sharon. It was Mina who gave Sharon the name Vina, taken from her daughter’s name Vina Vanesa.
In her late teens Vina began taking on more mature roles. She appeared with Robin Padilla in Utol Kong Hoodlum. She starred with Ariel Rivera in Anghel Na Walang Langit. This was a dual role in which Vina played two lookalike young women with very different personalities.
One of Vina’s most challenging and controversial roles was that of Sarah Balabagan, the young Muslim domestic helper from Mindanao who killed her employer in United Arab Emirates after he raped her. For a while it seemed like The Sarah Balabagan Story might never be shown publicly, after the UAR government objected to the way Muslim life was depicted in some scenes. It was finally allowed to be shown and earned Vina three Best Actress nominations.
While Vina’s acting career flourished, she also kept up with her singing, continuing to record albums and perform in live concerts. For the past couple of years Vina’s career as an international concert artist has really taken off big-time. From 2002 to 2005 she had a series of shows with Martin Nievera in the US and Canada.She doesn’t just sing, she also does several high-energy dance numbers at each show, and makes sure to keep physically fit so she can keep up with the demands of such an exhausting schedule.
Vina has one career ambition that she has not yet realized: “I’d like to do theater,” she said in a recent interview. “I was offered to do a musical this year, and I hope it happens because I’ve always wanted to act on stage.†There can be little doubt that Vina will be just as successful in this new venture as she has been in all her other artistic achievements!
Horaaah! Yipeeey! Yehey! Yahooooo… 
Known as the fruit basket of the Philippines, North Cotabato will showcase its fruity products during the holding of the North Cotabato Fair & Fruit Festival at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall on September 23-25, 2005.
Come! Let’s go to northern