AN INSPIRATION TO SO MANY PEOPLE
by Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 14, 1999

Last week, a nice lady from Sharon Cuneta's TV show called to invite us to Sharon's birthday special last Sunday, as one of the Megastar's ''favorites''-- ahem. We were tickled pink but had to sadly decline because we were supposed to be in Davao City last weekend for an important interview. We would have wanted to greet Sharon in person on her 33rd natal day, and to congratulate her for maturing so well as a performer and person.

Then, a few days later, our Davao trip was postponed. What to do? It was too late to get reinvited to Sharon's birthday special, so we settled for the next best thing and watched the show last Sunday.

We're glad we did because the special turned out to be more than just the usual beso-beso, lushly emotional birthday group-grope. The first order of business was for Sharon to grant the wishes of some of her fans.

One diehard admirer revealed that she had delayed the delivery of her baby daughter for two days, so she would be born on the same day as Sharon (Jan. 6). Another fan wanted Sharon to sing her parents' theme song. A third needed blood for a major operation.

It was heartening to see Sharon handling these requests with simplicity and lack of melodrama. Her sincere desire to help was palpable, and the striking thing was that it went beyond granting material requests and also concerned itself with the fans' emotional well-being.

Interspersed with these requests were songs that Sharon sang alone or with the likes of Jaya, Roselle Nava and Randy Santiago.

Then came the ''Sharon's favorite people'' portion, during which Sharon's favorite soul-siblings wished her all the best -- and a baby this year. (Mentally, we thank Sharon for including us in such interesting company.)

With so many people praying that Sharon gets her dearest wish and becomes a mother again in 1999, she could give birth to quintuplets!

Happy birthday, Sharon. Thanks for being an inspiration to so many people. Surely, such a caring, giving, sharing person deserves to see her fondest wish come true this year.