Greatness delivered.
Mr. President, my dear colleagues,
It was an ending not too familiar in America’s highly anticipated singing competition the past 26 seasons; but for Filipino dreamer Sofronio Vasquez III, it culminates his journey of never giving up even after all the losses and rejection.
His dream of being a known singer was always there. Losses did not weigh him down. Undoubtedly, Sofronio exemplified the indomitable Filipino spirit.
All it took was patience and holding on to that dream. And now, is his time.
Sofronio Vasquez III, the 32-year-old singer from Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, became the very first Filipino and Asian to join the iconic winners list after bagging the grand title on The Voice USA Season 26 following the December 10, 2024 finale.
His soulful voice had not only won the competition; it had captivated and inspired the hearts of millions with every note he sung with hope and prayer that finally, his persistence, hard work and indomitable spirit will pay off.
Dubbed the “Filipino phenom,” Sofronio also wowed the judges after getting an instant four-chair turn during the “blind auditions.”
Mantakin niyo, ilang segundo pa lang ang nakalipas sa pagkanta niya ng audition piece, lahat ng internationally celebrated judges ng The Voice USA ay gustong i-mentor siya sa kompetisyon. Hindi ba’t talagang kahanga-hanga na sa unang bahagi pa lang ng kompetisyon ay naipamalas na niya ang talento ng Pinoy sa pagkanta?
During his The Voice journey, he delivered a string of dramatic song renditions battle after battle.
Ang natamong tagumpay na ito ni Sofronio ay isa na namang patunay na kayang kaya nating mga Filipino na angkinin ang pandaigdigang entablado.
Ang kanyang tagumpay ay isang patunay na ang mga pangarap ay maaaring makamit kung pagsusumikapan natin ito at naniniwala tayo sa ating kakayahan.
I sincerely hope that this remarkable achievement by our kababayan serves as a powerful inspiration for many others to chase their dreams and proudly showcase the unique Filipino spirit globally.
The Philippine Senate and the entire Filipino nation are truly proud of his achievement.
Thank you, Mr. President.