Edwin Mercado appointed as new Philippine Health Secretary

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has appointed Dr. Edwin Mercado as the new Secretary of Health and Dr. Beverly Ho as the President and CEO of PhilHealth. The leadership change follows the resignation of former Health Secretary Dr. Jose Brittanio “Brix” Pujalte, who stepped down after less than a month in office amid controversies involving procurement and gambling allegations.

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero expressed optimism that Mercado’s appointment will provide stability and clarity to the Department of Health (DOH), specifically aiding the rollout of the Universal Health Care (UHC) program. Mercado, a US-trained orthopedic surgeon with 35 years of hospital management experience, previously served as PhilHealth president and CEO.

Health advocate Dr. Tony Leachon welcomed the appointments, noting that both leaders possess the competence and integrity required to reform institutions facing chronic defunding. Key priorities for the new leadership include securing the P370 billion PhilHealth budget, recovering tax arrears, strengthening preventive health programs, and streamlining public hospital services.