Find the best in the Phl

When former film director Paul Soriano was appointed as Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications in October last year, Malacanang Palace made us – the public – to believe he was given a one-peso appointment. This means Soriano is working pro bono and not getting any fixed salary or remuneration for services rendered. In short, Soriano is working out of the goodness of his heart for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM).

PBBM is the wedding godparent of Soriano and his wife actress-singer-emcee Toni Gonzaga. Other than his dabbling as a movie director, Soriano is an advertising and marketing communications graduate from De Anza College in Cupertino, California. So he has credible credentials.

“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,” PBBM announced after he swore in Soriano.

Soriano is purportedly one of the bright minds in the Marcos’ campaign bureau during the last May 9, 2022 presidential elections. He thanked his “ninong” (godfather) for tapping him. “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 enthused.

Soriano is supposedly tasked to advise the Chief Executive and to assist departments and agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), on matters that will enhance their information dissemination programs and initiatives. “You know, in this day and age, you need to do it creatively, and you need to communicate so that the mission and the vision and the message of the President is clearly communicated to the Filipino people,” Soriano explained.

Thus, his job description calls for effective delivery of messages of PBBM and in most understandable way, especially to ordinary Filipinos as well.

The bottom line though is help build up the public image of PBBM as much as possible.

Every President wants to be popular and fondly remembered by many if not all the people. Soriano’s ubiquitous presence seems to be part of his visual public-image making of PBBM wherever the latter goes around the country and even in travels abroad.

However, it boggles the mind that there is no executive fiat or at least an administrative order that created the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications (OPACC). The President’s appointment of Soriano created his job. As I’ve gathered, OPACC is supposed to be attached to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) headed by Atty. Cheloy Garafil. As reorganized by Executive Order (EO) No.16 signed by PBBM on Feb.14, 2023, the OPACC should work hand in hand with the PCO.

As stated in EO 16: “The PCO Secretary and the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications shall closely coordinate with each other on matters relating to communications and information dissemination, and the development and enhancement of the messaging system of the Executive branch and the OP (Office of the President).”

In a press statement issued over the weekend, Soriano owned up to the new marketing brand as OPACC brainchild. After it stirred a hornets’ nest, Soriano justified the rolling advertisement posted on London buses featuring the Filipina-British nurse who administered the first COVID-19 vaccine.

With Filipina-British nurse May Parsons holding up a syringe as the ad model, it was captioned with the blurb: “We give the world our best. The Philippines.” It became a medical tourism for our country.

Soriano prided self as behind this ad that came out in time for King Charles III’s coronation in London. He rued, however, it was “misconstrued as part of the country’s tourism promotion campaign.” Soriano further declared: “OPACC wants to clear the confusion and clarify that it was not meant, in any way, to promote the country’s tourist destinations.”

Soriano disclosed his OPACC is now discussing with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other government agencies to launch their own versions of the “best” branding.

“Through this country branding campaign, we want to uplift the spirit of our overseas Filipinos and honor them particularly for their values that make Filipinos known to do their best at whatever chosen field, wherever they go and whatever it is they do. They truly deserve this,” he added.

Like any other messaging, it elicits differing views. Some found the ad inspiring. But the others frowned upon its message as even flaunting the Philippines as a labor exporting country. There’s no denying it’s true. But what kind of such messaging it seeks to deliver if it brags about the “brain drain” and diaspora of Filipinos leaving the Philippines to escape poverty, low pay and the difficult life here.

We have lost the best of our professionals and highly skilled workers who migrate abroad for better paying jobs. But isn’t it even PBBM has been trying to convince and inspire our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to come back home and see for themselves the much improved lives of their families back home in the Philippines?

So how come Soriano was out of synch with the messaging of PBBM, his immediate boss?

As defined in Google: “Creative communication is sharing/exchanging ideas, brainstorming, thinking and acting in a creative way and leave space for others to share their points of view…Creativity in your communications will help the message get through. Successful communication is when every aspect of what you are trying to convey is clearly delivered and completely received. No content is dropped and no uncertainty, ambiguity or misunderstanding creeps in.”

Had Soriano did due diligence of brainstorming, there would have been refinements of the branding message instead of stirring controversy.

Methinks, a little tweak can do the trick: “Find the best in the Philippines.” It’s just my two cents, less costly than the “one-peso” job of the OPACC.