President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed multi-awarded film director Paul Soriano as Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications.
Soriano was accompanied by his actress wife, Celestine “Toni” Gonzaga-Soriano and son, Severiano Elliot Soriano during his oath-taking, which was held in Malacañang on Monday afternoon.
Marcos lauded the decision of Soriano to use his creativity and filmmaking experience for public service at almost no cost to the government.
“One of the greatest assets of the Filipino is our creativity, and we must find many ways to highlight that to the rest of the world. And that is what Paul Soriano has already been doing in his career as a filmmaker. And now we have asked him to help us at one peso per year,” Marcos said during the ceremony.
Under his new position, Soriano will be tasked to advise Marcos and assist departments and agencies, including government-owned and -controlled corporations, “on matters that will enhance their information dissemination programs and initiatives.”
“It’s an absolute honor to be able to serve, first and foremost, of course, for the country and then, of course, for the PBBM administration,” Soriano said.
Soriano earlier told the media he declined to accept an offer to become the next press secretary since he preferred to work “behind the scenes” with the Marcos’ communication team.
Both Soriano and his wife supported Marcos during his election campaign. He also directed the President’s first-ever State of the Nation Address.
His films won several prestigious awards, including Berlinale International Film Festival, Metro Manila Film Festival, Catholic Mass Media Awards, Cinemalaya Film Festival, Mexico International Film Festival, Film Academy of the Philippines, and Star Awards for Movies.
Soriano’s father is a cousin of First Lady Maria Louise Araneta Marcos.