Sarah Geronimo Feature On Manila Bulletin 12/14/2011

The Initiation of Sarah

Article By JASER A. MARASIGAN

MANILA, Philippines — She is the perennial good girl of showbusiness, one who has become an inspiration to today’s youth.

In amateur singing contests, there is most likely at least one or two contestants who will have their own rendition of her hit songs. When little girls are asked who their favorite singer is, they will readily answer “Ate Sarah”.

“Ate Sarah’’ is of course Sarah Geronimo, and she admits that it is not always easy to protect that image especially since many look up to her as a role model for young people. But she takes it all as a challenge and chooses to look at it as her purpose in life.

“There is pressure to be a role model, as ‘ate’ to them. Pero nandyan naman ang mga parents ko. Well-guided naman ako,” says Sarah, who was recently honored with the Anak TV Seal Award, an annual national recognition honoring TV personalities whom children look up to.

Indeed, with fame comes a big responsibility, and the 23-year-old Sarah knows this too well, having been in the entertainment industry for more than eight years.

“Unfair ba na ang mga tao may ganong ekspektasyon sa akin o sa ibang celebrities? Hindi siguro. I’m just being myself, kung nagkamali man ako, parte ‘yun ng bilang isang tao. We all make mistakes.

‘Yun nga lang mahirap kasi may mga batang nakatingin sa’yo. I’m very, very lucky na kasama ko ang mga magulang ko. Nababantayan nila ako. Nako-correct nila ako agad kapag may nakikita silang mali,” she continues.

STRONGER, WISER

After having quite an eventful year of music accolades, box office successes, and yes that first heartbreak, Sarah has become stronger, wiser and more mature.

“May mga bagay na pinapayagan ng Diyos mangyari. Maybe it’s a wake-up call for me, so that the next time I fall in love, I’m stronger and wiser,” Sarah recalls of her shortlived romance with young actor Rayver Cruz, a time she considers as the most rebellious state that she has gone through in her life. “One positive thing that happened is that I am now more careful. Mas napagingatan mo ‘yung pagkatao mo.”

As she matured both in mind and physique, Sarah’s fashion sense is now more daring. She now pitches for clothing brand Unica Hija, and is ready to show that she has indeed grown up, a little fiercer perhaps, but without veering away too much from her good girl roots. “I’m not getting any younger. Pwedeng magpakita ng konting skin pero hindi naman sexy,” she giggles.

DREAMING OF THAT DIPLOMA

From the struggling girl who tirelessly joined singing contests, to being today’s most successful singeractress of her generation, Sarah has indeed gone a long way.

Since she became the grand winner of the talent search Star For A Night in 2003, Sarah has had a string of platinum albums, charttopping songs, sold-out concerts and top grossing movies. But after all these years, for all her immense popularity, Sarah still finds her success “surreal” and “unexpected”, a feeling that keeps her grounded until now.

“I give back all the credit to my parents. The most important lesson that they imparted to me is humility. Siyempre pinagdaanan namin lahat ‘yung hirap. Never kong makakalimutan ‘yung mga pinagdaanan namin kaya ako nagsumikap na makarating dito ngayon. Ang laking tulong nun. Kapag nakakakita ako ng mga baguhan, sobra akong nakaka-relate sa kanila,” she says.

But if there’s one thing that Sarah longs to accomplish, it is not another platinum album, a sold-out concert or a box-office movie, it is finally getting that college diploma. Sarah is taking up Associate in Arts under the Open University program of the University of the Philippines (UP).

“Mahirap kasi kailangan din devoted ka. ‘Yun nga lang kapag may kasabay na projects nahihirapan akong pagsabayin. Pero after nitong movie with Gerald Anderson (Won’t Last A Day Without You), nagka-catch up na rin kami sa mga requirements na kailangang i-submit.

Every Monday I meet with my tutor. Gusto ko sana na magbreak from showbiz para makaconcentrate sa pag-aaral kaya lang may naka-lineup na kasing mga projects na mahirap namang tanggihan. Kaya pagsasabayin na lang,” says Sarah, who also hopes to take a music course after.

“Education is important for the simple reason na hindi forever ang fame. Kaya parati kong sinasabi sa mga bata na mag-concentrate muna sila sa studies nila,” advises Sarah.

“Sumasagi rin sa isip ko na may konting fear, na sooner or later malalaos ka or makakalimutan ka ng tao kasi laging may dumadating na mas magaling or mas maganda. I just pray. Kung ano ‘yung will ni Lord. Kung hanggang saan ako makakarating.”

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Manila Bulletin- STUDENTS AND CAMPUSES SECTION

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Article Courtesy of  mb.com.ph

Shot on location at Cerchio, Tomas Morato, QC

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