Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano (left) and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

The Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM)--the Palace's official broadcasting arm--will perform director duties during President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24, 2023.

Thus, bared House Secretary General Reginald Velasco on the sidelines of a pre-SONA walk-through on Monday, July 17, after he was asked by House reporters on the status of Paul Soriano.

"Actually ang information na nakuha namin (Actually the information that we received) from the Office of the President (OP), and the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the RTVM will take care of it," Velasco said.

"In other words, yung mga beterano nila, sabi nila kayang-kaya nila yan (their veterans said that they can handle). These people, yung RTVM staff, all the events where the President is the main guest or keynote speaker, sila ang nagko-cover (they are the ones covering it) so they know what to do already," he explained.

On July 4, Velasco shared to reporters that Soriano, who holds the position of presidential adviser on creative communications, had been designated as director of this year's SONA.

Then, during a previous walk-though with media last July 10, the House official said that they were still waiting on final word from the OP as to who will serve as SONA director.

Asked to clarify what happened to Soriano's previous designation as director, Velasco said: "I don’t know but that’s the information we got in today’s final [interagency] meeting."

"That information I do not know," Velasco added, when asked by Soriano was no longer the director for this year's SONA.

Soriano, husband of popular showbiz personality Toni Gonzaga, was the one who directed Marcos' first SONA last year.