Mama Vina

MANILA, Philippines - There’s no escaping the sparkle in Vina Morales’ eyes and the glow on her cheeks these days. The reasons are easy to see.

Motherhood (to six-month old Ceana) has done wonders to Vina.

“With my daughter by my side, my life is complete,” she gushes. “It was not really me who gave birth to Ceana; it was Ceana who gave birth to me. She’s making me a better person.”

Spoken like a first-time mom. One look at Ceana, and Vina swears all those aching muscles and drained energy vanish into thin air.

“I’m so grateful for experiencing the gift of motherhood,” she beams. “Not everyone gets this chance.”

And she’s treating that chance as if it were the last one she has on Earth. Vina wants to take much better care of herself “for the sake of my daughter.”

Vina spends an hour working out at the gym. She takes the more healthy brown rice and shuns calorie-rich food like the proverbial plague. She admits trying “all kinds of diets” to return to her whistle-bait figure.

And she’s succeeding. Down to 120 pounds after losing 25 pounds since childbirth, Vina can very well be the poster girl for a health drink or a well-known gym.

 “But I’d like to lose 10 pounds more,” she clarifies. “You see, TV makes you look bigger than you really are.”

Vina can’t wait to get back to regular work — singing and dancing and, as she puts it, never sitting still. For starters, she has guested in a couple of TV shows, including A.S.A.P., where she has just celebrated her birthday.

The hunger to perform once more is written all over Vina’s face and her body language. At the presscon for the Star Magic World Tour on Friday, Nov. 13 at Araneta Coliseum, Vina sang Zsa Zsa Padilla songs as if there’s no tomorrow.

“I really miss showbiz,” she explains.

No wonder she can’t wait to perform before a capacity crowd once more. Her three-hour show with fellow Star Magic talents will benefit victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

“Our show is complete,” crows Vina. “Where else can you see so many of our idols (a total of 70 artists) for the price of one concert ticket? Not only that. Those who go to the show get to help typhoon victims as well. ”

Vina and her fellow performers are donating their talent fees to the ABS-CBN foundation, which in turn, is helping typhoon victims.

Instead of brooding over the next disaster, Vina would rather focus on an old love: Performing. She’s raring to find herself at the center of things showbiz again — a teleserye, variety show, hosting, recording, the works.

Marriage and a second child? You guessed it: Vina says no, thank you for now.

“What’s important is my relationship with Ceana’s dad,” says Vina.

It is he Vina will turn to in making big decisions, like Ceana joining showbiz when she grows up. And she will not pressure him into supporting her since “I’m not used to depending on someone for my needs.”

As for a second child, Vina just shakes her head.

“I want to enjoy Ceana fully,” she replies. Besides, putting on weight again due to childbirth is a no-no for her. Not when she’s bent on making a showbiz comeback.

“I’m so grateful those who helped me (in showbiz) are still around. I guess it’s also because I love my work and those I work with,” she goes on. “Why, I don’t have post-partum blues at all!”

There’s a new spring to her step; a lilt in her voice. A new, better Vina Morales is back.