Despite out-of-the-blue announcements and undetailed responsibilities, filmmaker and director Paul Soriano was appointed Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, October 17. Witnessed by his wife—famous television and YouTube personality Toni Gonzaga—and son, Soriano took his oath on the same day in Malacañang Palace.

Prior to his official appointment, Soriano was offered the position of press secretary last October 5 following Attorney Trixie Cruz-Angeles’ sudden resignation on October 4. However, he turned the role down upon believing that his skill set does not match with the qualifications needed in an ideal press secretary. “I know my strengths, I know what I can give [PBBM]. I am better utilized at the background than be in front of the camera,” he noted. 

President Marcos Jr. informed the public that Soriano had agreed to receive an annual salary of only Php 1. “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… 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,” President Marcos said.

However, the Republic Act 6758, known as the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989, states that presidential advisers like Soriano are to receive a monthly salary of at least Php 273,278, under the Salary Grade 31. Though, one may only be able to truly verify how much Soriano will be paid by being involved in the inner workings of the elite.

Nonetheless, his appointment raises a lot of concern among Filipinos. With the role of presidential creative communications adviser still being new and loosely defined, many worry about what exactly Soriano’s role entails and how it will impact the nation as a whole. 

For one, Soriano’s appointment in and of itself reeks of nepotism and reflects manifestations of cronyism.

Soriano and his wife, Toni Gonzaga, have been supporters of Marcos Jr.’s campaign both in the 2016 Vice Presidential Elections and 2022 Presidential Race; with Soriano even directing the then-candidate’s campaign advertisements. In a similar manner, Soriano was also the director of President Marcos’ first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2022. 

Yet, Soriano’s ties to Marcos Jr. go beyond the professional realm as well, with the latter and his wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos, being the godparents at he and Gonzaga’s wedding in 2015. To this day, Gonzaga refers to the President as Ninong, as seen in various social media posts. Moreover, Soriano was revealed to be the blood-related nephew of Araneta-Marcos through his father, Jeric Soriano, being a first cousin of the First Lady. 

Much like how his father—former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.—operated the country during his presidency, it looks as though Marcos Jr., too, persists in filtering his inner circle, making sure that those who serve under him are those he trusts will not turn against him.

The Marcoses are strategic, in that they know Soriano’s loyalty. Given the latter’s support amidst valid criticism, Marcos Jr. knows that Soriano can and will use his talent to paint him in a good light. As though planned, Soriano’s first project as creative communications adviser will be a media campaign revolving around President Marcos’ first 100 days as chief executive.

As former Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Celso C. Santiago Jr. phrased in a Twitter post, “I would like to make one thing clear. A Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications is a PROPAGANDIST hiding behind a fancy job title.” Lawyer and Professor Ross Tugade also took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the matter, saying, “‘Creative communications’ sounds like another name for propaganda.”

Dr. Tony Leachon offered a slightly different perspective, taking into account the fact that, almost four months into his reign, President Marcos has not yet assigned a Secretary to the Department of Health (DOH) while Soriano was appointed only 13 days after receiving an offer.  “Agriculture and DOH Secretary wala pa rin po. Inuna ang creative communications for him to look good and competent? What do you think?” he said in a Tweet. “The move to appoint [a] PA for creative communications regardless of the compensation doesn’t align with the urgency for filling up key posts to address major issues [for instance] health and agriculture and reflects the plan to stonewall deficiency in meeting up the goals in the first 100 days,” he continued.

Art is an avenue to express one’s creativity, yet it may also be used as a tool to warp the minds of its viewers—that is exactly what Soriano’s role seems to be as creative communications adviser. Given the ability to disseminate several forms of information—or, on the flip side, disinformation—he will leverage his platform to continue to contribute in advancing historical revisionism and false narratives about the Marcoses, painting the Marcos family to be heroes, and adjusting the bloody red hues of their atrocities to a warmer, more faded color.

We rely on communication because, without which, we would not be able to receive key messages about what is going on in our neighborhoods, schools, let alone our government. The true irony of the situation is that there are already avenues in which the President can communicate—such as his very own Press Secretary—thus, Soriano’s role will only rely on the stylization of President Marcos’ message. 

That, perhaps, is the essence of the Marcos communication—all show, all “creativity,” but no substance. This is a disservice to Filipinos as Soriano’s beautifully directed paper windmill videos, camera movement at the SONA, and the like can only do so much. The core of communication is to deliver fruitful messages, but if more effort is placed on delivery than on truthful messaging, no wonder President Marcos and Soriano will have a communications strategy with no depth.

The more the administration and its cronies push for this tactic, the greater the possibility of a shallow, yet still equally manipulative rule.