In the latest Senate plenary session on November 9, it was officially confirmed that director Paul Soriano, husband of Toni Gonzaga, is no longer affiliated with the Department of Tourism (DOT).
As discussions unfolded about the proposed budget of P5.768 trillion for the year 2024, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr. raised questions regarding Paul Soriano’s involvement while deliberating on the proposed budget of the Office of the President (OP).
Pimentel inquired about Soriano’s current status, asking, “Wala na ba siya ngayon?”
Senator Sonny Angara, who chairs the Senate committee on finance, responded, “Wala na po.”
The name of Paul Soriano was brought up as Pimentel Jr. delved into an ad campaign, “We give the world our best,” prominently displayed on buses in London. The senator aimed to uncover the funding source behind this campaign.
Angara clarified that the funds for the campaign did not originate from the official funds of the OP. He speculated that it might have been a personal initiative by Paul Soriano. Pimentel expressed surprise that there was no investigation into the funding source for the ad campaign.
Pimentel questioned why there was no interest or initiative to scrutinize, especially considering the campaign’s mention of the country in London. He emphasized the necessity for someone to request an inquiry into the background information, questioning whether nobody had taken any action.
Angara responded, “Because it was still during the time of Director Paul Soriano. That’s what I’m told baka sya ang nakakaalam, we’ll ask.”
It is worth noting that in July, Malacañang announced that Paul Soriano, the husband of Toni Gonzaga, had filed a leave of absence due to personal matters.
