By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — Dr. Edwin M. Mercado was sworn in as the new president and CEO of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday (04 Feb 2025).
Mercado succeeded Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. at the government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), which provides health insurance to all Filipinos under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).
A Doctor of Medicine graduate from the University of the Philippines (1987), Mercado also completed a Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery from Harvard Medical School in 2023. Additionally, he holds an Executive Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina in the U.S.
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), “Mercado has dedicated his career 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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