Martin Nievera has already promised me he would sing at my wedding. Some songs I would like are Beautiful In My Eyes, I'll Never Say Goodbye, You Got A Way, You're Still The One and How Do I Live Without You.

How do you stay in touch with Manila?

"Oh, there are many ways of doing that. I read all the online editions of the papers -- especially the Philippine STAR, of course!!! I usually hit the lifestyle or entertainment sections first. And then there is e-mail and the trusty old telephone. There are many ways to keep updated with the latest tsismis!!!

What do you think of "texting"?

I really can't understand how texting got so big!!! It is really amazing. More text messages are sent in the Philippines than in all of Europe!!! Here in the US, it hardly even exists!!! It really is amazing.

However, like the Internet, texting and cellular phones have spawned a whole new genre of etiquette -- a kind of cell-tiquette, if you will.

It really is very rude to be screaming into a phone in a quiet restaurant and in shows and concerts PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, turn off your cellphones. Incoming messages and phone calls really do affect the sound system and you can hear it over the speakers just like you can hear it when your cellphone is beside a telephone."

What message do you have on your answering machine?

I just have the generic message that came with the machine. I used to have my voice there but decided to change it to the generic one instead. Sometimes I have my male friends tape their voices on my machine. I just feel safer somehow. Pero just the ones with nice voices, ha!!!

Who is your role model?

Barbra Streisand. It's not just her obvious talent that gets me. It's her drive, pursuit of perfection and the way she handles herself. She has the reputation for being difficult to work with but I think she is just a perfectionist. Hindi puwede ang puwede na sa kanya.

What gains your admiration?

Truth, honesty, integrity, sticking to one's guns no matter what the consequences are. Knowing who you are, what you are and reveling in that singularity. Making something of yourself and using your God-given talents to the fullest. Doing something for others without turning it into a media event. Being yourself and not trying to be someone else.

What item can't you do without?

My laptop and my Palm Pilot!!! My computer is my bridge to the world, a great help with work and keeper of secrets and dreams. Everything else I can replace.

When are you most fulfilled?

After a show, any show. I don't know what it is, but I just feel a sense of accomplishment after a couple of hours of singing in front of people.

THOUGHTS ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

* Abortion: "A fetus is a life. No one has the right to end that life. I am certainly against abortion. It is the easy way out. Sure, I understand the woman's right to choose what she wants to do with her body, but the fetus is not our body. It's a separate body and a separate life. It isn't ours to do what we wish."

* Euthanasia: "This one's tough. Who are we to play God? Having said that, it's also merciless to try and keep a person alive when they are clearly not alive anymore -- brain dead and being kept alive by a machine isn't living!"

* Marital Rape: "Rape is rape is rape. Doesn't matter, male to female, female to male or in any combination. Rape will always be rape."

* Women's Rights: "Absolutely! It's a shame and a horror that women are paid less than men for equal work. Equal work, equal pay. And having said that, women shouldn't take advantage of their being women to get their way in the workplace. No sleeping around to get to the top!!! If you are smart enough and hard working enough, you should be able to make it on merit."

"I don't like the double standards that are prevalent in society. People are people. Whatever standards are set for men, those same standards should be set for women too and vice-versa. It's only fair."

* Minority Rights: "On the one hand, I believe that everyone should get to where they need to be on merit. But on the other hand, where would we be without Affirmative Action? It's one of those double-edged swords that's hard to explain. Back home (in Manila) there's such thing as 'minorities'. But here in the US, it is such a melting pot and extremely competitive that sometimes it is the only way to protect the minorities."