Mikoy Morales and the Kundirana factor

What do Kapuso Mikoy Morales have in common with Gary Valenciano, Dingdong Avanzado, Randy Santiago, Rannie Raymundo, Juan Miguel Salvador, Gian Magdangal, Carlo Orosa, Rowell Santiago, Mon Faustino, Tats Faustino, Ogie Alcasid and talent manager Leo Dominguez? Yes, they were all members of Kundirana, the La Salle High School music ministry.

In his nearly three years in showbiz after finishing one of the six finalists in the GMA talent search Protégé (with Jeric Gonzales and Thea Tolentino), Vincent Marco “Mikoy” Chu Morales has been showing his singing/acting talent, with his Kundirana colleagues as role models, especially Ogie “because of his musicality, his wit and humor, halos lahat nasa kanya na,” with Christopher de Leon and Phillip Salvador (a Protégé judge) among the actors he looks up to.

He was an Architecture sophomore at UST when he joined Protégé and later ventured into showbiz, later shifting to a course in Music Business Management at MINT (Meridian International) in McKinley.

“Although joining showbiz was not included in my plans,” Mikoy told Funfare, “I came to love it. My parents gave me their go-signal only after we compromised that I would finish college. In school, I did appear in plays but my childhood dream was to design houses and buildings.”

He writes songs, one of them Kuwento Ng Pangarap, a collaborative effort with other contestants used as the Protege theme. He didn’t win but he was given prizes anyway including a scholarship and a contract with GMA. So far, Mikoy has done a few TV shows: Teen Gen, Villa Quintana, With a Smile (with Christian Bautista), More Than Words and Pepito Manaloto where he plays a gay character so delightfully credible that some people think he’s not acting at all.

“I have fun in that (gay) role,” said Mikoy (a Raymond Lauchengco lookalike), who’s turning 22 on Dec. 11. “I enjoy doing it.” He's managed by Becky Aguila.

As an introduction, Funfare let Mikoy do the “Complete the sentence” test.

•  I hate people who are…plastic.

•  I avoid people who are…manipulative.

•  My greatest pleasure in life is…sweets. “I have a sweet tooth.”

•  My biggest fear is…not accomplishing anything.

•  I pray for…good health for me and my family.

• The most important person is…my family.

• If I were to be reincarnated as an animal, I would be a…bird. “I want to fly.”

• I lost my innocence when…I was 18. “To a girl my age.”

• My most traumatic experience was…when I ran into a glass door during a garden party as I rushed to meet my uncle. “The music stopped and all eyes were on me.”

• My most embarrassing experience was…when I was in grade school. “I thought that ‘Of course not’ meant ‘yes’ with enthusiasm. Our teacher asked, ‘Are you okay today?’ Everybody said, ‘Yes!’ But I said, ‘Of course not!’ Everybody looked at me with astonishment.”

• I deal with gossip by…being myself.

• The one thing I can’t do without is…music. “And, of course, my cell phone.”

• The type of girls that turns me on…’yung funny, humorous.

• And the type of girls that turns me off…’yung illiterate.

• My philosophy in life is…If it’s for you, it’s for you. Kapag ukol, bubukol.

• When I’m alone in my room, I fantasize about…owning my own giant robots. “And that I am a superhero.”

• I’m happiest when…I’m with my loved ones.

• I’m saddest when…I’m having difficulties with my loved ones.

• What makes me mad is…disappointment. “When people let me down.”

• My ultimate goal is…to find myself.

• What I like about myself is…I’m comfortable with myself.

• What I don’t like about myself is…I tend to be careless.

• If I were somebody else, I would be…Robin Williams. “I cried when he died. Parang nawalan ako ng tito. I grew up enjoying his movies.”