Foremost, I would like to thank and congratulate the organizers of the 7th Philippine POP Awards, headed by its founder, Jhon Mark “Yuan” Quiblat. It’s an honor to be part of the jury for this year’s awards.

The Filipino talent is remarkable in many ways, and music is one of the avenues wherein we express our creativity. This is highlighted in Presidential Proclamation 1173 (s.1973) that declared the last week of November of each year as the National Music Week for Young Artists, which is the inspiration for this awards.

The Pinoy Pop music scene is promising, as it has adapted to the preference of modern audience while embracing the essence of original Pinoy music or OPM. The fact that some of our talents are starting to be recognized in the international stage means we are on the right track. With the growing support of Filipino fans to Ppop, and as we expect stronger government support for the industry, especially now that there is already a law, the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, we can look forward to a vibrant Ppop industry that will also be a significant contributor to the country’s economic growth.

Tonight is a testament not only of the innate, exceptional Filipino talent, but also of passion and hard work to excel, to be the best in every performance. While we are awarding who we perceive are the best for this year, we are equally proud of all the nominees. In fact, allow me, allow us, to thank all of you for your dedication to your craft. You give joy to many and you inspire others to pursue their passion.

To the PPOP Artists League and all the people behind the PPOP Awards, I salute you for using this platform to promote the world-class Filipino talent, to continuously motivate our artists to excel in their craft, and to help nurture among our citizens love of our own music and culture.

Without a doubt, the Filipino talent deserves a spotlight at the global stage—not only for one or a few, because what we hope is to see Ppop conquering the world!

Maraming salamat at mabuhay ang Musikang Pilipino!