Will Paul Soriano name his firstborn after him?

MANILA, Philippines - Paul Soriano lives and breathes film, even outside the set.

In fact, expectant father (wife Toni Gonzaga is giving birth last week of September or first week of October) likens the milestone in his life to a premiere night brimming with excitement and possibilities.

“I’m nervous and excited,” he said after the presscon of his new film, the suspense-thriller Dukot.

He asks friends with kids what he should bring to the hospital when the big day finally comes. He gladly joins Sunday family brainstorming sessions on what to name their first bundle of joy.

“It’s a new chapter in my life, and Toni and I are embracing it. The family is writing down names. And Paul is a good one,” he grinned.

Yes, the Sorianos are expecting a boy, which is what Toni wanted in the first place.

Paul is not that particular about his baby’s gender. He’s more concerned that his son grows up “healthy, smart and strong.”

That’s one of the things he goes down on his knees to pray for every night.

The excited father-to-be goes with Toni in her once or twice-a-month trips to the Bogy. He gives her every kind of food her heart desires, like fried chicken, and only lately, peanuts.

Now that the doctor declared Toni to be completely healthy and fit to work, Paul said his tireless wife will continue facing the cameras “up to the time she gives birth.”

“She can work as long as she gets rest, and the proper working conditions. She’s doing a sitcom and has ASAP on Sundays,” the proud husband reported.

He takes Toni’s busy schedule as proof of God’s unfailing love.

On the set of his latest movie, Paul already feels awarded with such a brilliant cast, headed by Christopher de Leon, Ricky Davao, Shaina Magdayao, Enrique Gil and Alex Medina.

“We always believe God is in charge of our finances. He’s been blessing us with work.”

He’s just as glad Toni is following doctor’s orders by getting eight hours of sleep a day, putting her legs up to improve blood circulation, etc., because she wants the best for their unborn son.

Much as they’re thrilled to become parents, however, Paul and Toni are in no hurry to give their first-born a sibling. They want to enjoy their little boy first and learn the ABCs of parenthood with the help of their parents.

This doesn’t mean, though, that a second baby is out of the picture.

“When God says it’s time to have another one, we’ll have another one,” Paul related.

For now, Toni is training her son to be as spiritual as she and Paul are by reading the Bible aloud, and playing a lot of Christian and classical music.

She and Paul have yet to choose their son’s godparents.

“But Alex (Gonzaga, Toni’s younger sister) and my brothers will surely be part of the list,” said Paul.

Impending fatherhood can’t help but inspire Paul to pull all the stops in promoting Dukot in time for its July 13 playdate.

The award-winning director promised, “You won’t have time to go to the bathroom or eat your popcorn once you see the film.”

The fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat feeling, direk Paul added, will prevail throughout the one-hour-20-minute film.

His favorite scene, he revealed, oozes with claustrophobic tension and leaves the audience choking for breath. After all, the story revolves around a kidnapping in the family, and one scene tumbles to the next. 

“It’s a roller-coaster ride. You don’t know if you’re going to go left or right, straight or back,” direk Paul pointed out.

Accuracy and attention to detail are also part of the deal. The award-winning director and his team talked to real-life criminals to make the scenes as truthful as possible.

This, not the possibility of an award, is the thrill — and the reward —  direk Paul gets from Dukot.

“If the film wins awards, great! But at the end of the day, I already feel awarded with such a brilliant cast (headed by Christopher de Leon, Enrique Gil, Shaina Magdayao and Alex Medina), the chance to create awareness and tell stories in cinemas.”

This is the kind of high direk Paul gets each time he’s happy with his work. It’s also the kind of passion he wants his son to feel when he grows up and decides what he wants to be.