MANILA, Philippines?It was inevitable. The life story of ?undiscovered? singer Eva Castillo has been turned into an ongoing mini-series by GMA 7.

Top-billed by Manilyn Reynes, Glaiza de Castro and Renz Juan as Eva in different ages, ?SRO Cinemaserye Presents: The Eva Castillo Story? will begin its four-week run on July 23.

Castillo herself admits that her ?colorful? life is stuff that tearjerkers are made of. ?Dramatic. Until now, I still cry when I look back,? she tells Inquirer Entertainment.

The most heartbreaking episode, she recalls, was the time she had to give up custody of four of her seven children who now live in faraway Pangasinan. She had been separated from them for 21 years.

She, however, insists that she has no regrets and has moved on. According to Eva, she has forgiven all those who?ve hurt her in the past, including the two fathers of her seven children. ?I also hope that they?ve forgiven me for my shortcomings.?

Now that she is slowly picking up the pieces of her life, her fondest wish is that she?ll soon be reunited with her children.

Since being ?rediscovered? on the ?Roots to Riches? TV special of Regine Velasquez, Eva has landed a record deal, a singing job at Klownz, and has transferred to a bigger home.

Eva calls Regine, her perennial rival in amateur contests when they were kids, her ?angel,? along with manager, TV director Louie Ignacio.

It was Ignacio who suggested to GMA 7 to produce a drama show chronicling her ups and downs.

Jun Lana, who?s directing ?SRO,? explains that viewers will learn a lot from Eva?s life.

?Inspiring,? Glaiza says of Eva?s life. ?I?ve been following her ever since she appeared on ?Roots to Riches.??

Manilyn says that she could relate with Eva?s travails. ?I also competed in amateur singing contests when I was a child in Cebu. I know how hard it is.?

It?s not all adulation, Manilyn says. ?You would also encounter people who would put you down.?

?Defeated and tired?

Regine recounts that, when she first reunited with her childhood friend for the ?Roots? rehearsals, she saw how ?defeated and tired? Eva looked. ?Eva didn?t have self-confidence then.?

In some ways, Regine agrees that Eva?s story parallels that of British singing sensation Susan Boyle?the underdog who was given 15 minutes of virtual fame.

?Now, Eva goes to the gym and has lost weight. I hope she won?t let go of her second chance,? Regine says.

But what if people from Eva?s past would get offended by her tell-all bio on TV?

Eva says that, although she didn?t hide anything, she was also careful in retracing her journey from anonymity to celebrity, from kakanin vendor to Kapuso diva.

?My hope is that people would learn from my mistakes,? Eva says.