A paraw (sailboat) has been sailing around Boracay, proudly displaying Colet Vergara’s face alongside fan-made artwork.
The initiative is called Project Huyuhoy, “huyuhoy” meaning breeze in Bisaya. It’s the first project of its kind for any idol, a testament to fans’ admiration for BINI’s Boholana member.
Just six years ago, Colet entered ABS-CBN’s Star Hunt Academy (SHA) idol training program. Already gifted, she nonetheless struggled with the pressures of training, which temporarily forced her back to Bohol. Even after returning to SHA, her journey was far from easy.
Still, she persisted and in the years since, she has won the hearts of countless people. As Colet recently celebrated her 24th birthday on September 14, here are some of the many reasons why fans love her so much.
The Nation’s Ace
One of her fan groups, Colet Fan Suporta, included the title “The Nation’s Ace” on her paraw banner. Though Colet has never claimed the title herself, her achievements speak volumes. Within just six months of training, she impressed BINI’s Korean vocal coach with her raw talent. Today, she holds three official positions in BINI: main vocalist, lead dancer and lead rapper.
Her talent has also been praised internationally. In April, all four members of Canadian vocal group RiVERSE reacted in awe to her live performance, with Justin stunned at how her voice remained studio-quality while she danced.
She’s admired most for her voice. HORI7ON’s Reyster and MNL48’s Frances are just some of the artists who have expressed admiration for her singing. Even BINI’s own Aiah revealed on Erwan Heussaff’s Kitchen Conversations that Colet often serves as the group’s backup vocal coach beside their official mentor Anna Graham.
Award-winning Korean-American vocal coach Karen Lyu echoed the praise, calling Colet’s soprano voice “full and healthy, with effortless transitions and excellent control.” Despite never having heard of BINI before, Lyu was impressed with her resonant belts and well-connected head voice, which comfortably reaches a soprano high C (C6).
In June, Colet wowed fans by holding a soaring B♭5 note even while battling a cough. And while her belting range is formidable, she also ventures into low notes, hitting as low as C3 in the intro of BINI’s “Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi.” Vocal coach Katriinka described her as “a belter with strong input in every register.”
Beyond vocals, Colet is a songwriter and musician. She has contributed lyrics to BINI tracks like “Kinikilig” and “Karera,” and wrote and composed her first original song, “8,” in Grade 8. With her acoustic guitar, she has shared original compositions online, including an inspirational song that has earned over 720,000 likes on TikTok. She also worked as a vocal arranger for BINI’s debut single “Born to Win.”
A Deeper Side
Colet’s gifts go beyond music. Her personality endears her to fans as much as her talent. Often nicknamed “Anger” because her tone can sound intense, she explained on the Bisaya talk show Kuan on One that this is simply a common speaking style for Bisaya people.
She is warm, witty and deeply relatable.
Her heart for service shines in her fan-led outreach projects. In March, she collaborated with fans for Project COLipay (“kalipay” means happiness in Bisaya), where she hosted Jollibee parties for children with disabilities. Growing up in poverty, she said she never had the chance to celebrate with a Jollibee party herself so she wanted to give that joy to others.
Colet always had this deep love for charities and helping others and it became an inspiration for us to bring with you Project COLipay – a path to practice gratitude and paying blessings forward to the community for supporting our Nation's Ace, Colet. 💚
— BINI COLET OFC (@BiniColetOFC) March 4, 2025
As our fandom continues… pic.twitter.com/yKjvifJnld
In April, she donated goods to children in Bohol through Project Puhon (“God willing” in Bisaya). By May, her fanbases launched ColAiah Cares (for BINI’s Bisaya girls Colet and Aiah), providing food, hygiene kits and school supplies to underprivileged kids in Quezon City — an initiative both idols supported.
Her humor is another side fans treasure. In July, she reposted a video of a netizen finding a snake in their house, quipping in Bisaya: “Thank God it’s just a snake and not a cockroach.” The post racked up nearly 30,000 laughing reactions on Facebook.
But Colet is also candid about her vulnerable side. On June 11, she released Letters From Colet, a series of personal essays where she opened up about panic attacks, trauma and sadness.
A Balladeer at Heart
While BINI is known for fast, upbeat tracks, Colet often gravitates toward ballads in solo appearances. Before SHA, she was accepted into Tawag ng Tanghalan with KZ Tandingan’s “‘Wag Ka Nang Umiyak,” though she later withdrew to focus on school. In February 2025, she finally got to perform with KZ’s husband, TJ Monterde, at his Sarili Nating Mundo concert, stunning fans with her soaring rendition of “Puhon.”
Her ballad prowess has shone in many smaller gigs, too. For one, at Spotify’s Parinig Mo event in 2023, she delivered an unrehearsed powerhouse cover of Adele’s “When We Were Young.” In 2024, she charmed fans with a stripped-down ballad version of ABBA’s “Mamma Mia.” In December that year, she had a solo acoustic set at Café Conchita in Bohol. In March 2025, she performed “Palagi” with Nyoy Volante at Direk Lauren Dyogi’s birthday party.
colet's angelic voice 🤧 it's been a while.. pic.twitter.com/WxwQf0Yd3e
— ec (@NICOLETIANS) December 21, 2024
Though many of these performances flew under the radar, they reveal that for Colet, singing isn’t just a profession — it’s her passion.
The Perfect Present
At just 24, Colet has already proven herself as a performer, musician and public figure. She’s come a long way from her SHA days, and she still has a long future ahead.
Her fans’ extraordinary gift of a sailboat in Boracay isn’t just a birthday project — it’s a symbol of how far she’s come and how deeply she has touched people’s lives. It’s truly an extraordinary present for an extraordinary young woman.
