After going through a number of personal and career storms in her life last year, the country’s only Diamond Star Maricel Soriano is back in full gear to get her career on the right track this 2010. And if she’s to be classified as a diamond, the Diamond Star is clear and sparkling brightly because she is happy!

And judging from her dance number during the premiere of “Diz Iz It” last Monday on GMA-7, Maricel is as energetic as ever, grooving to the medley of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” the 80’s hit song “Rico Mambo” and “Nobody” among others.

So what’s the reason behind her “sparkling eyes” and happiness? Could she be in love in the heart month of February?

“Secret,” giggled Maricel. “I’m happy. As to a love life, it’s something to that extent.”

At the moment that’s the most she can talk about her “new inspiration” in life because she doesn’t want to jinx their friendship.

“The most important thing is that I’m happy. I’m very happy. There’s closeness already. Besides you’ll be the first to know if there’s something more,” she quipped.

Being happy couldn’t come at a more opportune time as she is also in a healing process after her mom’s untimely death last year. She admitted that it was her hardest trial in life so far. She couldn’t express her grief in words and was just stunned.

“Losing my mom was very hard. I was like inside a cocoon. I had a hard time accepting it and I have a lot of questions. Even if I have faith and I pray a lot, I don’t know how to say thank you to God for what I was going through then. In the end though I still said thank you. I really hibernated,” she shared.

The actress admitted that it’s been a long time since she felt “very happy” in life. She doesn’t know how things will turn out but she hopes that things become better. She wouldn’t mind a “lifetime partner” playing also a “father role” to her children.

“Maybe I’ll get married again,” she quipped.

Other than her “new inspiration,” what is waking up and bringing Maricel out of hibernation is the latest news about her showbiz career – transferring from the Kapamilya network to TV5!

So why did she move out?

“I will always be a ‘Kapamilya.’ I’m just around the corner. It’s just that there comes a point in your life that changes must occur especially after my mom’s death. I missed work again… TV5 is my new home, it’s exciting and I’m happy to work with them soon,” she explained.

She added that becoming one of the major talents of TV5 is a breath of fresh air. And she believes that working with new faces and being in a new environment would be helpful to her career. She’ll do a special series under TV 5 that will showcase her acting prowess. There’s going to be drama, horror and comedy among the genres she’s expected to work in.

“It’s a big door that’s been opened for me after what I went through in life… I feel that I’ve been found again after hibernating,” described Maricel of becoming TV5’s “Diamond Star.”

She also attributed her vacation time away from the Philippines to renewed energy and more focused perspective in her life and career. After every vacation, she gets and feels the “electricity” to push and drive her to work in her TV or movie projects.

As to how much was the talent fee offered her, Maricel exclaimed “Bongga!”