FILE PHOTO: Former DILG chief Mel Senen Sarmiento (left) and Kris Aquino. INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — After months of silence since first revealing their relationship, Kris Aquino announced on Instagram on Sunday her engagement to former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Mel Sarmiento.
“We discussed this post and I thought about it carefully… marami kasi sa followers ko ang nagtatanong kung kamusta na ko because matagal na kong nawala (many of my followers have been asking me how I’ve been since I’ve gone on an hiatus for so long),” she wrote on her post’s caption.
“Aamin ako (I’ll admit) I’m only 95 pounds now. This pandemic and many stressful events that happened since mid August really caused my weight to drop & my health to suffer,” she added.
She added that it has also been exactly four months since the Aquino family lost former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
However, despite the unfortunate events, her late brother remains the “matchmaker in heaven.”
“Somehow I believe there really was a matchmaker in heaven who must be smiling now- I can almost hear his voice telling me, ‘Kristina, tama na, respect the fact na gusto ni Mel ng tahimik na buhay’ And finally, ‘bunso’ has learned to obey,” she said.
“To my best friend and the man I said yes to spending the rest of my life with, thank you for as bimb said, loving me for me, with no agenda, and for being just an overall good and patient man. It’s unreal how much more calm & peaceful I feel now that you’re here,” she added now talking about her beau.
Aquino explained that she and Sarmiento would have never met if it was not for ex-president Noynoy. It was even only after her brother’s death last June when she “reconnected” with Sarmiento.
“Thank you, you must have known how broken i’d be to lose you, so you made sure there was someone who not only helped wipe away my tears, he’s made it possible for me to smile and laugh again. Dumating nung hindi ko hinahanap o inaasahan – kaya nga tama silang lahat na nagsabi in God’s perfect time,” she said.
“We agreed, what’s personal shall remain private so hanggang dito lang ang pwede kong ma-share. Except I guess to say as much as I am proud to be an Aquino, looking forward to na kong maging Sarmiento,” she added.
Sarmiento was DILG secretary from 2015 to 2016 under the administration of former president Noynoy Aquino.
He also served as secretary-general of the Liberal Party.
Sarmiento also served as Western Samar representative from 2010 to 2015.
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