Former broadcaster Jay Sonza is being paid P1 million as a consultant for SMNI
JAY SONZA – The controversial former broadcaster admitted that he receives P1,000,000 per month as a consultant for the broadcast operations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
On Monday, December 11, Sonza appeared at the hearing of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises regarding alleged violations by SMNI. During the hearing, Sonza admitted that he serves as a consultant for the broadcast operations of SMNI and is paid a million pesos each month as his salary.
According to him, he began working with SMNI on March 20, which means he has received around ₱8M from the network. Also present at the mentioned hearing was SMNI President Marlon Rosete, who testified that Sonza is allowed to fulfill his duties as a consultant and make management and executive decisions.
Jay Sonza is a blogger, former newscaster, and talk show host. He has had a varied career in media and government. Sonza began his career in media as a writer for radio and went on to work for major television networks in the Philippines, including ABS-CBN and GMA Network.
He co-hosted the popular program “Mel and Jay” with Mel Tiangco and later became a supervising producer and consultant at GMA Network. In 2005, he became the station manager of UNTV-37. Throughout his media career, he received several awards for his contributions to journalism and broadcasting.
Apart from his media involvement, Jay Sonza worked in various government roles, including positions at the Commission on Population–Davao Region, the provincial government of Davao del Sur, and the Ministry of Social Services Development. He also made unsuccessful attempts at running for political office.
Sonza has been involved in legal issues, such as a cybercrime complaint filed by actress Julia Barretto in 2020. In 2023, he was arrested on charges of estafa and illegal recruitment, which were later dismissed.
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