Senators expressed strong confidence in the future of the nation’s healthcare sector on Monday, August 10, following Malacañang’s appointment of Dr. Edwin Mercado as the new Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH).
Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11223 (Universal Health Care Act), hailed the development, calling the incoming leadership a major boost for national health policies.
“This will be a UHC (Universal Health Care)-friendly team!” Ejercito stated.
“We support the appointment of Dr. Edwin Mercado as the new Secretary of Health. We are optimistic that he will bring his valuable expertise as a physician and healthcare executive to the DOH at a time when we need to push our health reforms even further,” he added.
Ejercito also praised the appointment of Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho as the new President and CEO of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“I had the chance to work closely with Dr. Ho during the crafting of the Universal Health Care Law, where I have seen her dedication to improving healthcare for our people,” Ejercito said.
Emphasizing the urgency of financial protection for patients, Ejercito outlined key priority areas for the new leadership.
“There is still much work to be done. We need to expand Zero Balance Billing, improve PhilHealth packages including Philhealth’s participation in hospital bills, and lower out-of-pocket expenses,” he noted.
“I look forward to working with them as we plan to undertake a review of the UHC implementation as we approach its 10th year,” Ejercito added.
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero echoed these sentiments, noting that the leadership updates bring essential stability to the health sector and clear up recent uncertainties that threatened to delay UHC implementation.
“We welcome the new appointment and we wish the newly appointed Health Secretary, Dr. Edwin Mercado, all the best as he takes on his new role as the administration’s chief implementer of its health programs,” Escudero said.
Commenting on Ho’s background—which includes serving as chief health officer of Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., DOH undersecretary, and pandemic deputy spokesperson—Escudero highlighted her readiness for the role.
“Dr. Ho’s appointment to PhilHealth bolsters our UHC reforms. She possesses sufficient experience in public health and management to carry forward the reforms the system needs,” Escudero pointed out.