Face of Allure: Sarah Lahbati

MANILA, Philippines - If humility has a face, then it will have the beautiful features of half-Moroccan, half-Filipino Sarah Alzol Lahbati. “It is important for me to be humble. In everything I do, I always remember that I may not be perfect but I will always be me,” says the 16-year-old. Humility, Sarah reminds herself, is essential especially now that she’s on her first few steps in the entertainment industry. After bagging the title as “Ultimate Female Survivor” in Starstruck, GMA 7’s reality search for new talents, Sarah is now realizing her dream to act and perform on national TV.

“I barely sleep now,” shares Sarah, statuesque at 5-ft.-8.-in. “But I enjoy what I’m doing because I get to meet a lot of people. And they are famous stars for that matter!” Sarah, a mainstay of the Sunday variety show Party Pilipinas, also loves the job because she gets to portray a lot of roles. Being a TV personality was something far from her mind because she originally wanted to be a flight attendant. “But after I saw what happened on Sept. 11 at the World Trade Center, I got scared,” explains Sarah, who also considered being a policewoman when she was a child.

Because Sarah is young and already in the controversy-laden world of show business, she is properly guided by her parents — dad Abdel Lahbati, personnel officer at the Kuwait Mission of Geneva, Switzerland, and Esther Lahbati. Her mom, who goes with her to her commitments including this photo shoot, reminds Sarah that as a budding actress, she has to always look her best “because you’ll never know who you’re going to meet.” Her dad, on the other hand, taught her not to compete with others but with herself. This is exactly why Sarah keeps polishing her acting and singing skills by attending trainings and workshops.   

Armed with striking features, a charming personality and talent, Sarah is being groomed to be one of her mother station’s premier leading ladies. Although she currently finds herself busy with projects left and right, the young girl in her wishes for more summer memories, like her Egypt escapade a few years back. “I went to Egypt to spend summer with my parents. We stayed there for two weeks and I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to be back there soon.”