Unseen Voices: Monette Mahinay — Painting Memories with Her Voice

In a world where sight often defines dreams, Monette Mahinay rewrote the rules. Known as the first Filipino blind dubber, Monette is living proof that voice acting knows no limits — that the spirit to create and inspire transcends even the loss of vision.

Becoming "Seva" — A Journey of Voice and Spirit

For Monette, voice acting is more than just lending her voice to characters. It’s a life-transforming journey where she realized, “With voice acting, you can be anything.”

In her words, embracing different characters allowed her to break boundaries.

 “You are not limited to one identity. You give life to mere words, breathing soul into scripts, sentences, and stories.”

Monette’s journey into the world of dubbing wasn’t accidental. It was a dream she once thought was unreachable — until destiny, and a visionary mentor, stepped in.

Painting New Memories — The Life-Changing Words of a Mentor

During a heartfelt conversation over lunch, Monette opened up to Mr. Pocholo “The VoiceMaster” Gonzales about her struggles in losing her sight — about having to give up painting, a passion that once served as her emotional outlet.

“I told him that losing the ability to paint was the hardest part of accepting my blindness,” Monette recalled.

But Pocholo’s response became a turning point in her life:

“It’s okay. If you can no longer paint with your hands, you can still paint new memories using your voice.”

Those words didn't just comfort Monette — they ignited a new dream within her. She realized that even without sight, she could create colorful, vivid stories that could touch hearts and move people.

And indeed, she did.

Breaking Barriers: The First Filipino Blind Dubber

Under the guidance of Director Alan Ortega and Director JJ, Monette trained and eventually became the country’s first blind dubber. What many thought was impossible became possible — syncing voice to video, capturing emotions perfectly without even seeing the screen.

“It wasn’t magic. It was real. It was a milestone.”

Her achievement didn’t just open doors for herself — it paved the way for other visually impaired individuals, showing them that dreams don’t stop because of disability. Dreams adapt. Dreams evolve. And dreams still come true.

Voice Acting: A Tool for Advocacy and Empowerment

Beyond the world of dubbing, Monette uses her voice to advocate for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Through platforms like “Voice of PWD” and “TVPG: The Voice of Puede Got Talent,” she and her friends from Cebuano Voice Artists Association (CVAA) break stereotypes and prove that PWDs are not burdens — they are assets, talents, voices of power, wisdom, and dynamism.

Her message is clear:

“We want to be treated equally — to be included, not excluded.”

A Message of Hope for the Visually Impaired

When asked what she would say to others who have lost their vision, Monette’s response was full of strength and compassion:

"Everything happens for a reason. These struggles are not meant to break you, but to define your character.
If you need a support system, reach out. You are stronger than you ever thought."

Monette Mahinay’s story is a testament to resilience, hope, and the power of believing in oneself — and in others. Her voice paints the unseen, tells untold stories, and brings light to those walking through darkness.

Because even without sight, the heart still sees.
And the voice still paints.

Want to learn directly from The VoiceMaster?

🔗 Visit www.creativoices.com

📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/TheVoiceMaster

📱 Facebook: fb.com/TheVoiceMaster

🎙️ Join the next Certified Voice Artist Program!