MANILA, Philippines – More than a decade ago, Mel Senen Sarmiento told reporters it was his track record — and not his personal and political connections — that helped him bag a crucial Cabinet post towards the end of the late Benigno Aquino III’s presidency.

The then-newly minted interior secretary told reporters in 2015: “My track record will speak for itself.” Sarmiento was plucked out of the House, where he had represented Western Samar, to head the Department of Interior and Local Government after fellow Liberal Party member Mar Roxas declared his plans to run for president in 2016.

Ten years later, Sarmiento’s track record seems to be speaking for itself again with his appointment as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s new presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity. This time, however, the former interior secretary has little shared personal or political history with the President to speak of.

His political affiliations — particularly in the 2022 presidential elections, for instance — could not have been more different. In 2022, Sarmiento endorsed the candidacy of Marcos’ chief rival, former vice president Leni Robredo.

He does have vast experience with local government — as local chief executive, a national official dealing with local government units (LGUs), or as head of a foundation that helps LGUs.

Prior to joining the Aquino Cabinet, Sarmiento represented the first district of Samar province in the House. After leaving his House post, Sarmiento was replaced by his brother in representing the same district in Congress.

Before that, Sarmiento was mayor of Calbayog City from 2001 and 2010. This is, perhaps, the closest tie he has publicly to Marcos — they were both local chief executives, although Marcos was governor of Ilocos Norte. The President also hails from Eastern Visayas, with Leyte being the bailiwick of his clan through his mother, the former first lady Imelda.

As mayor of Calbayog, Sarmiento was also secretary general of the League of Cities of the Philippines and chaired the Regional Development Council in Eastern Visayas.

Sarmiento stayed out of national or elected government posts after Aquino’s term ended in 2016. He has kept a relatively low profile politically but has been involved, extensively, in efforts to help LGUs across the Philippines through the Galing Pook foundation.

In 2024, in a speech at the Galing Pook Awards in Malacañang Palace, Marcos praised Sarmiento for his work in the foundation. Marcos then described Sarmiento as someone who “has been doing this good work for a good long time, quietly lang (but quietly).”

“It is important to recognize the good work that people are doing around the country so that they can serve as examples for other local governments and other entities,” added Marcos, referring both to Sarmiento and Galing Pook’s work.

Sarmiento is not the only former Galing Pook official to have been appointed in the Marcos administration. Its former executive director, Georgina Hernandez-Yang, is currently undersecretary in the Office of the Executive Secretary. She was once assistant secretary in the Department of Education.

There’s another, more personal part of Sarmiento’s life that grabbed national headlines — he was once engaged to Kris Aquino, the former TV personality who is also the younger sister of the president he once served and daughter of the democracy icon Cory Aquino. Their relationship ended months after their engagement was announced, however. – Rappler.com