Former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino may have lost his senatorial bid, but he doesn’t have to wait for years to return to the government.

Tolentino will head the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) once the ban on appointing defeated candidates in the May 2016 polls expires next year, Politiko has learned.

Incumbent DILG Sec. Ismael Sueno is just warming his seat for Tolentino, who so far has been doing a commendable job being President Rodrigo Duterte’s power broker while he’s out of the limelight.

It can be recalled that Duterte had difficulty choosing who should head the DILG after his original pick for the post, Maribojoc town Mayor Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr., declined the position.

There was even speculation that Duterte would serve as DILG’s concurrent head if he had not settled on anyone to appoint.

The President, however, seemed to have found the perfect appointee in Tolentino, who has extensive experience in the executive branch, having served as Tagaytay City mayor from 1995 to 2004, and MMDA chair from 2010 to 2015.

If a picture can paint a thousand words, perhaps Tolentino’s presence in Duterte’s photo with newly appointed officials during their oath-taking in Malacañang last Oct. 11 could be taken as an indication he’s only a few months away from being sworn into office himself by the President.