Sofronio Vasquez III shares light moment with PBBM

• Sofronio Vasquez III sang the national anthem at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth SONA and was personally greeted by the President and First Lady
• He shared that singing a cappella was a directive from Malacañang to create a simpler and more patriotic rendition, despite his request for accompaniment
• Sofronio admitted the performance was nerve-wracking, noting the pressure of singing a song that “everyone knows” and the risk of mistakes being remembered forever.
• Before his SONA performance, Sofronio won Season 26 of “The Voice” USA under Michael Bublé, and had notable stints in “Tawag ng Tanghalan” in 2017 and 2019

Sofronio Vasquez III had the honor of singing the national anthem during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. Following his performance, Sofronio was personally greeted by the President.

“Kinausap pa nga ako ni President. Sabi niya, ‘Kinakabahan ka pa ba?’ Sabi ko, ‘Naku President, kung alam niyo lang, muntik na kong hindi makalunok sa kaba!’” he recalled. He also mentioned having a brief encounter with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

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Describing the moment as unforgettable, Sofronio expressed that performing the national anthem on such a significant platform was a “beautiful experience.”

He explained how this performance brought a different kind of pressure compared to singing in contests.

“Yung kaba ko sa competition, iba sa kaba ko rito. Iba 'yong challenge kasi lahat ng tao, alam 'yong kanta. So 'pag nagkamali ka, forever na 'yon,” he said.

Interestingly, the decision for him to sing a cappella came from Malacañang.

“'Yong idea na mag-a cappella was from Malacañang. I actually requested it to be with accompaniment, but they wanted it to be more simple, more patriotic, that's why they decided it to be a cappella,” he shared.

Sofronio rose to fame as the 26th season winner of “The Voice” in the United States, under Michael Bublé’s mentorship. Before that, he was a finalist in “Tawag ng Tanghalan” in 2017 and finished third in its 2019 all-star edition.

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Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is the 17th President of the Philippines, elected in May 2022 with a historic majority vote. He is the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who ruled the country from 1965 to 1986. Before his presidency, Marcos Jr. served in various public offices, including as governor of Ilocos Norte, congressman, and senator.

In other news, a 61-year-old woman died after being run over three times by two SUVs and a sedan at Illinois Street and Aurora Boulevard in Barangay Silangan, Quezon City, on May 17. The victim was initially struck by an SUV, then hit again by a second SUV and a sedan moments later, GMA News showed. QCPD is reviewing CCTV footage and has urged the involved drivers to cooperate with the investigation. The incident has raised public concern over road safety and calls for stricter traffic enforcement in the area.

Still in other news, a 16-year-old girl in Antipolo accused a tricycle driver of forcibly taking her to a hotel instead of bringing her home after work around 3 a.m. The victim said the driver ignored her pleas and sped up when she asked to be let off, "binilisan pa niya lalo 'yung takbo ng tricycle niya, natatakot na po ako nun." At the hotel, CCTV showed the driver holding her arm, and the girl said: "hihingi po sana ako ng tulong kaso natatakot po ako sa kanya." The hotel cashier refused to let them check in after suspecting something was wrong, prompting the girl to threaten to report the driver, who then fled the scene, according to ABS-CBN.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh