CA CONFIRMS SARMIENTO AS SILG

THE Commission on Appointment (CA), in an en banc session, confirmed today the appointment of Mel Senen Sarmiento as Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Sarmiento's confirmation came just hours after his nomination was approved without objection during the deliberation of the Committee on Interior and Local Government, Regional Consultative Commissions and Regional Autonomous Governments, chaired by Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr.

Before his appointment as DILG secretary, Sarmiento was the congressman of the first district of Samar.

Sarmiento's first elective post was as vice mayor of Calbayog City in 1992. In 2001, he ran and won as the city mayor and served a full three-term until 2010.

In his message during the CA plenary, Marcos said it was during Sarmiento's term as mayor when Calbayog City recorded the highest reduction in poverty incidence among all cities from 2003 to 2009 based on the records of then National Statistical Coordination Board.

It was also during Sarmiento's term as mayor when the city received countless awards and recognitions.

"Therefore, as chairman of the Committee on Interior and Local Government, Regional Consultative Commissions and Regional Autonomous Governments, it is this humble representation's distinct privilege and honor to move for this commission to give its consent to the appointment of Hon. Mel Senen Sarmiento as secretary of the DILG," Marcos said.