Retired military officer Carlito Galvez Jr. has stepped down as Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), marking a leadership change in the Marcos administration’s peace and security cluster.

In a statement released to reporters, Galvez confirmed that his retirement from public office takes effect on April 21, 2026, ending his 46 years of continuous government service.

“Today, I formally announce my retirement as the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity… I shall step down from public office after forty-six years of unbroken service to our nation. This decision is borne of a personal necessity to attend to the health of my wife, and to devote myself to my family—a commitment that is, perhaps, long overdue,” Galvez said.

He cited personal reasons for his decision, saying he needs to prioritize his wife’s health and spend more time with his family.

Galvez, a former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his continued trust and support during his tenure across two administrations.

“I am deeply honored to President Marcos for extending my tenure, allowing me the continuity to see our shared peace initiatives through to this chapter,” he said.

He also thanked OPAPRU personnel, calling them “the vanguard of our nation’s peace process,” and commended their work in sustaining peace efforts nationwide.

Galvez first assumed the OPAPRU post in 2018 under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte and continued under Marcos Jr., making him one of the few officials to serve in the same role across two presidencies. He also previously led the government’s COVID-19 pandemic response as vaccine czar and head of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

According to Malacañang, Presidential Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed Galvez’s resignation and said former Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento is expected to assume the post.

In his statement, Galvez expressed "full confidence" in his successor, saying the country’s peace process remains in “capable hands.”

“My successor, Secretary Mel Sarmiento, brings with him a distinguished record as a former Vice Mayor, Mayor, House of Representative, Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, and Chairperson of the Galing Pook Foundation,“ Galvez said.

“As a champion of good governance and a man of peace, I am certain that under his leadership, our pursuit of a just and lasting peace will reach even greater heights. ​I offer my deepest gratitude to the Almighty for the grace to serve as an instrument of His peace and for the strength to serve the Filipino people,” he added.