Cris Villonco

Villonco's singing career began when she was only nine years old, prodded by her grandmother, showbiz industry crusader and former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chief Armida Siguion-Reyna. She first gained public attention when she sang the theme song for the ABS-CBN children's television series Hiraya Manawari which was composed by Ryan Cayabyab. In her teens, she rose to prominence as a solo artist after the release of her teen pop song "Crush ng Bayan".[1]

In 2000, she was featured in Time magazine as a Hero for the Planet. The same year, Villonco's debut movie was Ang Dalubhasa with co star the late the King Fernando Poe Jr. or FPJ.

Villonco had her first solo concert Cris at Dish in August 2003, a year which also saw the release of her third album for Viva Records. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in May 2006, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with concentrations in music and economic development. In 2007, she worked for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Manila and Asia Society Philippines. Villonco then returned to theater, appearing in such roles as Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof and Ophelia in Ana Abad Santos-Bitong's steampunk-influenced Hamlet, for Repertory Philippines.[2] In November 2016, she starred as Alison Bechdel in the first international production of Fun Home, which premiered in Manila, alongside Lea Salonga as Helen and Eric Kunze as Bruce. The production is directed by Bobby Garcia.[3][4] A review in ABS-CBN News said that she delivers "a heartbreaking performance ... often using only her expressive face to suggest the wave of emotions inside her. Her solo 'Telephone Wire', about the pall of what's unsaid between Alison and her father during [an] ill-fated drive dramatically captured the inner turmoil that Villonco lugs with her even after the curtain call."[5]