President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administers the oath of office to Dr. Edwin Mercado, the new PhilHealth president and CEO. —Photo from the Presidential Communications Office

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Dr. Edwin Mercado as the new president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

In a press release on Tuesday, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Mercado took an oath before Marcos in simple rites in Malacañang earlier that day.

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Mercado is a United States-trained orthopedic surgeon with 35 years of experience in hospital management. He replaced Emmanuel Ledesma Jr.

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“Mercado has been the vice chairman of the Mercado General Hospital/Qualimed Health Network since March 2021. He has demonstrated proven leadership and executive and strategic planning expertise,” the PCO said.

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“Under his leadership, Mercado General Hospital Inc. (MGHI) has expanded into a national chain of healthcare facilities that include four general hospitals, six multi-specialty clinics, two surgery centers, 150 primary care corporate clinics, a college for paramedical professionals, and a physician practice group of 400 four doctors,” it added.

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The new PhilHealth chief finished his Doctor of Medicine at the University of the Philippines in 1987 and completed his Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery from Harvard Medical School in 2023.

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Mercado also has an Executive Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina in the US.

The PCO said Mercado “has dedicated his work to ensuring equitable access to quality medical care and leveraging technology to strengthen health systems, particularly in financial management and primary care programs.”

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“He did advocacy work with the Zuellig Family Foundation and several DOH Centers for Health Development, providing technical assistance to Provincial Health Boards on operationalizing their Healthcare Provider Network (HCPN),” it added.

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