There is no denying that Sarah Geronimo is one of the most popular stars in the Philippines today. After becoming victorious in a singing contest, she rightfully earned her title as the pop star princess when her debut album Pop Star, A Dream Come True received a sextuple platinum award for selling over 180,000 units.

          Her presence in ASAP ’07, ABS-CBN’s weekly musical variety show keeps her profile high. When she appeared as the young Dorina Pineda in the TV remake of the classic box office melodrama, Bituing Walang Ningning, her fanatics stayed glued to the boob tube and hailed her as the megastar’s heir apparent.

          Indeed, Sarah – as tweetums as Ate Shawie and with a persona that’s humble, wholesome and approachable – may have done something right with Bituin. She has again been cast as one of the three lead stars in the new soap, Pangarap na Bituin, the title song of Sharon Cuneta’s Bukas Luluhod ang mga Tala. The soap, however, is not a remake of the movie.

          Sarah plays Emerald, one of the three Jewel sisters orphaned at an early age and forced to grow up in differing circumstances. Maja Salvador plays youngest sister Ruby, separated from Emerald when she was adopted by a showbiz reporter. Rica Peralejo is eldest sister Sapphire who lost her siblings in a calamity and then assumed a new name. They will later join forces to become the Jewel Sisters, the newest singing sensation in the country.

          Sarah said she plays against type in the soap. “Si Emerald, tomboyish, brusko, palaban,” she says, unlike her Ate Shawie character in her previous soap. “It is a challenging role as a young actress and in a way, I will be able to display my versatility.” She also gets a hot new leading man in Jericho Rosales who plays Terrence, her boyhood friend.

          She deftly combines acting and singing in her new role, which must have benefited from In Motion, her successful concert at the Araneta Coliseum and latest career victory. Plus, she’s become the endorser of videoke equipment.

          During the product launch, Sarah was clad in a blue-green top with a red lining, which she paired with black leggings and three-inch stilettos. In spite of the glamazon look, Sarah is as sweet and modestly Pinoy as buko pie. And yet with her winsome smile and extreme charisma, I couldn’t help being star struck myself!

          As she sat with the press, I wondered if she took a spoonful of sugar or popped a happy people pill because she punctuated most of her statements with a giggle. Instead of being annoying, the habit actually made her more endearing.

          Of her Araneta concert, she confesses to being “ecstatic, of course.” She adds: “Sobra akong thankful every time I remember the crowd who went to the Araneta, seeing all of them made me very hyper during the show, parang nawawalan ako ng control, so the result, I think was a performance that I hope people would long remember.”

          Pouncing on this pronouncement, the press asked her to comment on the observation that she looked tired during the show and couldn’t quite hold the high notes toward the end of the concert.

          “I will not deny that there were some numbers during the show that my voice was breaking. Tao lang po. I tried my best to give a very good performance that time and despite the fact that my voice faltered occasionally, I was overwhelmed with the support of the people. Hindi ako nakatanggap ng boos. I am glad that they were able to accept my weaknesses. You know, being a singer has always been my dream. I really worked hard to where I am right now, so di ko po ito pababayaan.”

          In fact, this early, she’s being compared to the Megastar and Asia’s Songbird, an accolade that makes her squirm. “I don’t deny the fact that Ms. Sharon and also Ate Regine (Velasquez) are my idols. However, nanliliit na po ako every time I am being compared to them. I hope people stop the comparison because there is obviously no comparison at all. They are already superstars and I am just Sarah. Iba na po ang level nila.”