MANILA, Philippines – Sofronio Vasquez earned another honor under his belt as The Voice USA champion was tapped to sing the Philippine national anthem at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Malacañang announced on Tuesday, July 15.
The 2025 SONA will be held on July 28 at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.
According to a press release, the Malacañang had selected the powerful vocalist for his embodiment of the administration’s “intent to blend tradition and excellence in this year’s SONA ceremony.”
Vasquez made waves in late 2024 after he was named the first-ever Asian winner of the 26th season of The Voice USA — fully winning the show’s voters over after belting out powerful renditions of Sia’s “Unstoppable” and “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman.
He took home a $100,000 cash prize and scored a record deal with Universal Music Group.
Before his successful run in The Voice USA, he was also a finalist in the second season of 2017’s “Tawag ng Tanghalan” segment on It’s Showtime. He then entered the all-stars edition of the same segment two years later in 2019, and finished third overall.
Vasquez, who hails from Mindanao and is now based in the US, signed with ABS-CBN’s Star Magic in February this year. He is set to hold concerts around North America, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines.
At the 2025 SONA, which is the president’s fourth, Marcos Jr. will share his administration’s most major accomplishments thus far, and what policies and reforms they plan to focus on.
In 2024, it was Blessie Mae Alipopo Abagat of Bicol who sang the national anthem, following her success at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2024, where she represented the Philippines and brought home three gold medals in the divisions Vocal Gospel, Vocal Contemporary, and Vocal Pop; a silver medal in Vocal Broadway; and a semifinal silver medal in Vocal Gospel.
Abagat was also named the Vocal Pop 2024 Division Champion. – Rappler.com