Top 100 Cebuano personalities: Manilyn Reynes

CEBU, Philippines — One of the country’s original pop culture icons, Manilyn Reynes is a multi-platinum singer and award-winning actress.

Born in Manila (thus, she was christened Manilyn), her family moved to Cebu when she was only days old.

Growing up along Villagonzalo Street in Barangay Tejero near Cebu’s port area, Manilyn went to Tejero Elementary School until third grade, and attended University of Southern Philippines during her fourth until the mid-fifth grade before leaving once again for Manila.

Having joined competitions at age three and won singing contests at six years old, it was when she was 10 years old that Manilyn and her family moved to the capital to give her career a shot.

The rest was history as she became one of the country’s most sought-after talents in every platform.

A teen idol of the late ’80s, her movies and records were big hits. It also helped that she had an amiable aura that endeared her more to fans and colleagues.

Manilyn was launched in Regal Films’ "To Mama with Love" at 10. After a year she appeared in the film "Minsan May Isang Ina" as an epileptic child --- a performance that won for her a Best Child Actress award.

As a teenager, she was a pioneer member of the musical youth-oriented show "That's Entertainment."

Along with Sheryl Cruz and Tina Paner, they became Regal Babies and were called The Triplets. Together they appeared in TV shows and films and were each part of popular love teams. Reuniting for a concert in 2017, the trio were last seen in the series  "Meant To Be."

Under OctoArts, she released the album "Manilyn" featuring her single "Sayang Na Sayang" which topped charts and earned a Platinum award in 1988.

She is also the youngest artist who ever held a concert in the Big Dome in 1990.

In her heyday, Manilyn was dubbed a horror queen, a multi-media superstar, and a Star Of The New Decade.

2009 was a highlight in her career as she won an acting award for her portrayal of a lesbian in the MMFF 2008 entry "One Night Only."

She was recently seen in the 2018 primetime series "Inday Will Always Love You," playing a loving Cebuana mother to Barbie Forteza.