Into the heart of Vina

"It’s a modest house," said Vina Morales that breezy Monday afternoon as she welcomed us to her, uh, "private domain" cozily tucked up along a quiet street in North Susana, Quezon City. "But it’s all mine."

The two-storey house, painted white, sits on a 180-square meter lot, located a few blocks away from Rosanna Roces’ house and the one used to be owned (but has been sold) by Nanette Medved. Around the bend is the house of Judy Ann Santos.

"Come," smiled Vina, dressed in white like the interiors of the house, "let’s take a look inside."

A quick "tour," sort of.

No, Vina doesn’t live there alone. She’s with her parents, Ike Magdayao and the former Diana Garcia, and sisters Sheryll (the Palmolive girl in the commercial) and Shaina, the actress. Their other sister, Sheila, now has a family of her own, married to German Moreno’s son Federico Moreno. (Vina is Sharon Magdayao in real life.)

On the ground floor is a small sala filled with a large sofa and easy chairs, all covered with predominantly white cases. Near the sala is the dining room adjacent to a small kitchen. There are two bedrooms downstairs, one for the household help and the other for guests.

Located upstairs are four bedrooms around another small sala. Vina occupies one room, Shaina another room, sister Sheryll another room, with the fourth room shared by the girls’ parents now based more in Manila than in their native Cebu where Vina started her career by singing in the sidewalk.

"I’m planning to move to a condo, somewhere in Pasig or Makati," revealed Vina. "I’m saving up for it. If ever, I’ll dress up that dream condo unit also in white. Mahilig ako sa white, e," added the very tanned Vina, fresh from a singing stint in blue Hawaii.

We settled down on the sofa for a Conversation that veered deep into the heart of Vina.

Nice house. Very cozy. How do you relax when you’re home?

"I stay in my room where I watch a lot of movies. Mga love stories. Ayoko ng horror movies... nakaka-tense! O kaya I go to Shaina’s room and we watch videotapes together, or just make chika-chika. Simple pleasures, you know."

Is this the same house rumored once upon a time to have been given to you by a politician-admirer?

"This could be the one or the one I used to rent. I’m confused na which one. Ibinigay daw sa akin ng isang DOM (Dirty Old Man)."

Were you affected by that nasty rumor?

"Of course, I was, but only in the beginning. Ganoon din ang pamilya ko. Later on, I just shrugged it off. Una, ’yung isang meyor daw (Former mayor, actually – RFL) ang lover ko. Maya-maya, isang DOM naman daw. I learned to ignore the rumor. As long as my conscience is clear at alam kong pinag-hirapan ko ang bahay na’to, why bother with the rumor-mongers? Inggit lang sila!"

It’s a new house.

"Actually, it’s just newly-renovated. The house is four years old and we’re the first occupants. Shaina used to sleep with our parents. But now that she’s growing older, gusto niya may sariling room siya, so we decided to renovate the house. Shaina wanted to display her toys, mostly Hello Kitty, in her own room."

It’s a very Vina Morales, the ambience and the color scheme. Subdued. Very relaxing.

"Actually, ako ang nag-design nito. May touch of wood at ang kulay basically white. Gives you that cool, comfortable feeling."

Fit for somebody like you. You’re not the gimikera type, are you?

"I do go out when I’m free because I also want naman to enjoy my youth and my freedom. When you get married, siempre, you’re not as free to go out anytime you want to. My friends and I go to the club, like Mars. Or we watch movies. We usually hang out in Makati because most of my friends live there. I don’t go ‘gimicking’ so much in Quezon City. The only time I go around the Timog-Morato area is when I work (at ABS-CBN for A.S.A.P. which she co-hosts) or to visit our salon, Ystilo, located at the ground floor of the Imperial Palace Suites (Timog-Morato Rotonda). That branch of Ystilo is actually a franchise. The original two are in Fairview (Quezon City) and in Pasig City (Shaw Boulevard). Last March, we opened another one in Binondo, Manila. Soon, baka sa Davao and Cebu."

Did you put up Ystilo with your friends?

"No. With my sisters. It’s a family-owned business. Ystilo offers a lot of services, from massage to haircut to make-up, hair-coloring, facial, body scrub, etc."

Of all businesses, why a beauty salon?

"Kasi, we’re all girls (sisters) and we always go to the beauty parlor together. So we decided to save and pool our resources together to put up our own. Now, we don’t have to pay at may negosyo pa kami. We started small (Fairview branch). Now, we have two outlets and some franchises at marami pang nag-a-apply. We now have a training center, also called Ystilo, where we train people for branches that we’ll put up soon. We’ve been in business for barely three years."

They might suspect that a rich admirer is behind your business, na "front" ka lang.

"I wouldn’t be surprised. You see, ayaw akong lubayan ng mga tsismis, ng mga ‘issues’."

Another lingering "issue" against you is your being a social climber daw...

"...maybe because nali-link ako sa mga guys who are not from showbiz and are, you know, sosyal."

Like the latest guy being romantically linked to you, Juan Elizalde. Mahilig ka talaga sa "Juan," ano. Your former boyfriend was also a "Juan" – Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

"Nagkataon lang. Juan (Elizalde) is just a friend of mine. We were just seen once at, hayun, may tsismis na kaagad. This much I can say: I’m not committed right now. I’m not saying that I don’t want to be committed right now and anytime soon. Basta, I just feel that I’m not ready for any commitment again. Not yet, anyway. I want to take it easy muna; I don’t want to be in a rush at baka magkamali na naman ako ng desisyon. I’m 25 and you might say that nasa right age na ako for another relationship, but I’m not in a hurry. I’m waiting for the right guy. I know God will send me somebody who will really and truly love me."

So Juan Elizalde is not the right guy yet?

"Ay, ayoko na yata pagusapan siya. I might be misinterpreted again. Huwag na lang."

Okay, so you and Juan are just friends. How long have you been friends na ba?

"Wait a minute... Siguro, mga four years na. In fact, I met Juan even before I met Miguel. We have common friends and, well, that’s how we met."

As far as I know, Juan Elizalde is not totally non-showbiz because he’s a scion of the family that owns a radio station (dzRH). He’s the son of Fred Elizalde, isn’t he?

"You know, he’s a very private person, so...huwag na lang, please!"

But you do go out, on friendly dates, don’t you?

"Not really because I’ve been so busy with work not only here but also abroad. I just came back from Hawaii where I did some shows and, by the time this (Conversation) comes out, I should be back for more shows abroad, all of September. Busy talaga ako."

Okay, we’ll leave Juan Elizalde alone. Let’s talk about the other guy romantically linked to you, a foreigner named Roy Ofek (half-Japanese and half-American, a businessman who shuttles between Manila and other countries). What business is he in?

"It’s their family business. They’re into trading, dealing with coffee."

Mukhang mahilig ka sa mga mestizo...

"Nagkataon lang... Why, si Robin (Padilla) ba mestizo? Hindi naman, a!"

When you said a while ago na "ayoko nang magkamali," were you referring to your relationship with Juan Miguel or your relationship with Robin?

"I wouldn’t say that it (Relationship with Miguel. – RFL) was a pagkakamali. Rather, I guess I was just in a hurry to get into a relationship. Parang hindi ko muna kinilala ’yung tao. All I can say is that I’ve learned a lot from my last relationships and I’ve become a better person because of them. When I go into another relationship, I’ll be better equipped to handle it."

What did you learn from your relationship (lasting more than a year) with Miguel?

"Not only from my relationship with Miguel but from my other relationships. What lesson? I guess, well, to be more understanding and not to be selfish. I’m just human, you know, and like most everybody, di ba when you want something gusto mo nandiyan na right away? Also, when you love a person, you must learn to love what he loves; you have to learn to adjust to each other."

Everybody knows that your relationship with Robin was a memorably turbulent one. Before, Robin, of course, there was Keempee (de Leon). How long did your relationship last?

"Only eight months. It was an away-bati kind of relationship. Alam mo naman si Keempee... We spent more time fighting than enjoying ourselves. I was young then, and so was Keempee."

What about ’yung with Robin?

"I was only 17 then. Looking back now, I think it was more a case of idolatry – you know, ang laki-laki ng crush ko kay Robin. Nabighani ako ni idol. After Robin, came Keempee. But after I broke up with Keempee, bumalik sa akin si Robin. I was already 18 then. When I recall those days, my God, natatawa talaga ako. I guess all of us go through that phase in our lives – ’yung parang nawawala tayo sa sarili in the name of love. That’s why I’m scared for my sister Shaina, so I keep warning and reminding her and giving her pieces of advice. I always tell her, ‘Shaina, don’t get too involved with a guy when you grow older.’ Kasi when you are in love, parang you get blinded, di ba?"

So how many times have you been, well, "blinded"?

"Twice na siguro. But, please, don’t ask me for any names. Ayokong sabihin sa’yo."

You seem to get attracted to older guys (except for Keempee who‘s about Vina’s age).

"Nagkataon lang siguro. Robin is 32 and so is Miguel, while Roy is 29. It just so happens that I click with guys older than I am, although I do go out on dates with guys my age."

Are you dazzled by guys from the AB class – you know, the "high society"?

"Not really. There are other guys trying to make friends with me, guys from the middle class but with stable jobs and businesses of their own. It just so happens na ’yung mga napa-publish are the guys from what you called the ‘AB class’."

How can you tell if the guy is only out for a good time or if he’s really serious?

"I can tell. Basta, I can tell. I happen to be an observant person; I’m very perceptive. I can read the body language very clearly. You can sense it in the way they talk and in the way they treat you."

So far, who’s your most memorable relationship?

"All of them. Kaya lang, ang pinaka-maintriga ’yung kami ni Robin. Second would be ’yung kami ni Miguel. As I’ve said, I’m far more mature now. Before, it was a case of heart-over-head with me; now, it’s more head-over-heart na. Meanwhile, my heart and my head are focused on my career."

After Hawaii, which places are you performing in this time?

"First week of September, sa Reno, Nevada. With my friends who’re going there, pupunta kami sa Las Vegas for vacation. Then, San Francisco na for another concert. Last week of September, nasa Germany ako. I’d be away for about a month. I always travel with my Mom and Dad, for your information, and not with, you know, not with anybody."

Aren’t you also going to India to record an album?

"Marami pang inaayos. But they’ve sent me six songs already. I’ve listened to them and I like them. All English songs. If ever, the album will be a compilation of my hits here, to be released by EMI-India. I’d be promoted as a Filipina artist and not, according to reports, as an Indian artist."

How did you get that deal?

"I performed in a showcase during the recent regional conference of EMI Records executives from all over the world, held in Kuala Lumpur. I went there with the OctoArts-EMI people. The EMI executives first heard me sing during their meeting here in the Philippines and they gave me a standing ovation. So they asked me to perform again at the Kuala Lumpur event where the record-producers from India made the offer. Actually, I also did an album for the Malaysian market and it’s on sale there already."

Do you work well when you’re in love?

"I’m more inspired when I’m in love, of course. I’m not in love now pero concentrated ako on my work, my family and my friends."

Loveless but happy. It’s all over yourself. Even your body language is eloquently positive. How do you keep your figure?

"I go to the gym regularly. I do taebo, aerobics and dancing. Nagyo-Yoga din ako. When I was in the States, gulat sila sa muscles ko. Here, parang ayaw ng ibang tao. I don’t know why."

Being loveless seems to sit well with you. You look less harrassed. You look more... desirable?

"My consolation is that ’yung mga ex ko are still my friends. I still see Miguel once in a while. I still see Roy. Robin is quick to come my side when I have problems, offering his shoulder for me to cry on. Kapag siya naman ang may problema, Robin would call or come to the house to pour his heart out to me. That’s what friends are for, isn’t it?"