Noted for her distinct sultry voice, she started singing in church as a child and first gained recognition after winning the 1986 Cebu Pop Music Festival.

[7] At age nine, Magdayao started singing with the choir of Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish Church in Bogo.

Father Fritz T. Malinao, a priest and a songwriter in his church community, discovered Magdayao's talent and asked her to sing one of his compositions as an entry in the Cebu Pop Music Festival.

[8] The song, "Paglaum", which means "hope" or "pag-asa" in the Cebuano language, won the Grand Prize and earned the Best Interpreter Award for young talents in the Philippines.

Representatives from Viva Films, headed by Jesus "Boy" Bosque, saw her performance and offered her a singing and acting contract.

In 1991, Morales bagged leading lady roles in films such as Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum, where she starred alongside Robin Padilla.

In 1996, Morales left Viva and signed a non-exclusive contract with APT Entertainment and OctoArts Films, where she starred in Lab en Kisses and 'Wag Na 'Wag Kang Lalayo.

[9] In 2000, Morales signed an exclusive contract with Millennium Cinema, where she starred in Eto Na Naman Ako and Sagot Kita Mula Ulo Hanggang Paa.

[10] During the early to mid-2000s, Morales focused more in her music career and performed in live concerts in the Philippines, including 2004's Mamahalin Ka Niya.

In 2010, Morales was cast as Mercedes Cristi in another ABS-CBN soap opera Agua Bendita, starring Andi Eigenmann.

In 2013, she was cast as Magnolia Alegre in the primetime drama Maria Mercedes, a remake of the 1992 Mexican telenovela of the same name that starred Thalía.