MMK’s ‘lucky charm’ Romnick Sarmenta stars in a pilot episode for the second time after 34 years
Over three decades since he first graced the pilot episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” (MMK), veteran actor Romnick Sarmenta finds himself coming full circle. In 1991, Sarmenta was a young star who topbilled MMK’s very first story. Now, he returns in 2025 to play the father in the MMK limited-series comeback’s pilot episode. It’s a nostalgic and meaningful milestone for the actor, one marked by gratitude, memory, and a sense of history repeating itself in the best way.
From Son to Father: Revisiting MMK’s First Tale
Longtime viewers of MMK might recall that inaugural episode titled “Rubber Shoes,” in which a teenaged Romnick Sarmenta portrayed a son ashamed of his humble background, opposite the late veteran Robert Arevalo who played his father. That episode launched MMK’s legacy as the Philippines’ longest-running drama anthology.
“Whenever people ask if I remember stuff, it’s one of those that pop up right away,” Romnick said, recalling the experience. “Maybe because I also enjoyed the script immensely. I loved working with Tito Robert [Arevalo]. In fact, ninong ko siya sa previous marriage ko. There are people you become very fond of and get very close to and you want them to be a part of your personal life. So, doing that with Ninong Robert at that time was just a gift.”
He also candidly shared, “It’s always naman ‘pag sinabi sa’yo na pilot episode ka, andun ‘yung kaba. Kasi ‘pag hindi nag-work, kasalanan mo rin, ‘di ba? Hindi maganda ‘yung ginawa mo.”
Manifesting the Return
Romnick shared that he, along with other artists who had been part of the show, kept the spirit of MMK alive: “Pero over the years, actually magkakapal ako ng mukha, at sasagutin ko ‘yung tanong mo kay Ms. Charo. Kami nag-manifest kami. Kaming mga [artistang] gumawa ng MMK. Lagi namin sinasabi, ‘Sayang ‘yun!’ Kasi we felt na it was a way of honoring the stories of our televiewers. Kasi mga istory nila ‘yun eh. Paminsan-minsan gumagawa ng mga istoryang tungkol sa taong kilala. Pero madalas, buhay nila [ordinary viewers] ‘yung kinukuwento eh.”
“As an artist, I’ve always felt that there are so many great stories out there because so many people are living that story. And they need to be known, heard, or seen.”
“With every episode naman, may mapupulot ka. And ‘yun ‘yung value nung show, eh. ‘Yung napupulot mong aral, ‘yung mga payo ni Ms. Charo. It allows people to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Romnick added with heartfelt gratitude, “Hindi nga ako matapos ng pasalamat sa Diyos. ‘Di ba? Siguro, kung magyayabangg ako, puwede kong sabihing nag-pilot ako ng dalawang beses. It’s such an honor, a privilege, and a blessing.”
MMK’s Comeback: New Stories, Same Heart
The return of MMK is meaningful not just to its audience but also to Charo Santos-Concio, who reflected on its comeback: “Hindi naman siya [MMK] nawala sa consciousness ko. Never siyang nawala.” When asked if she had exerted any effort to bring it back, she answered honestly, “Minsan lang sinasabi mo, naeexpress mo lang. But I never nagged anyone about it.” As for why she thinks it’s finally back, she simply said, “I guess they also saw the value of the program. Ako pinakanalungkot [when MMK was cancelled].”
Charo acknowledged MMK’s long-standing impact on Filipino culture: “‘Di ba kapag medyo madrama ang buhay mo, maririnig mo, i-MMK na ‘yan o ‘Oy, pang-MMK ah!”
Romnick’s presence in both the original and reboot pilot episodes was warmly received by Charo, who called him MMK’s lucky charm and expressed appreciation during the event.
A New Chapter Begins
Catch the all-new, inspiring stories brought to you by “MMK,” streaming 48 hours in advance on iWantTFC starting April 24 (Thursday). iWantTFC is now also available via Chromecast and AirPlay.
“MMK” will also air on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z every Saturday from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, starting April 26.
