President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has officially named Dr. Edwin Mercado as the new Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH). Dr. Mercado succeeds outgoing Secretary Jose “Brix” Pujalte Jr., who has stepped down due to health reasons.
To fill the vacancy at the national health insurer, President Marcos simultaneously appointed Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), taking over the position previously held by Dr. Mercado.
Dr. Mercado brings extensive experience across healthcare management, health financing, and universal health care (UHC) implementation to the top post at the DOH. He served as PhilHealth’s acting President and CEO following his initial appointment to the agency in February 2025.
Prior to his tenure at PhilHealth, Dr. Mercado built a distinguished career in hospital administration and health policy. He served as Medical Director of the Daniel O. Mercado Medical Center from 1998 to 2000, before leading several healthcare institutions as President and CEO from 2000 to 2016.
Additionally, he served as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Zuellig Family Foundation, and contributed directly to national policy as a member of the DOH’s Strategic Advisory Group for Universal Health Care Implementation.
Dr. Mercado earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of the Philippines Manila. He holds a Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery from Harvard Medical School and a Master’s degree in Hospital Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Stepping into the top role at PhilHealth, Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho transitions from her position as Chief Health Officer of Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc. She brings a rich background in public health governance, having held pivotal senior positions within the DOH.
Dr. Ho previously served as DOH Undersecretary in 2022, Assistant Secretary from January 2023 to January 2024, and Deputy Spokesperson from March 2020 to December 2023. Her leadership within the department includes heading the Health Promotion Bureau and the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, as well as serving as Special Assistant to the Health Secretary for Universal Health Coverage.
An accomplished public health advocate, Dr. Ho graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of the Philippines Diliman, earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from UP Manila, and holds a Master in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her executive leadership and service have earned her high recognition, including the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award in 2022 and the Leadership Award in Public Health Practice from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2024.
| Executive | New Position | Previous/Recent Roles | Key Qualifications |
| Dr. Edwin Mercado | Secretary, Department of Health (DOH) | Acting President & CEO, PhilHealth; Consultant, ADB & Zuellig Family Foundation | M.D. (UP Manila), M.M.Sc. (Harvard), M.H.A. (UNC-Chapel Hill) |
| Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho | President & CEO, PhilHealth | Chief Health Officer, Ayala Health; DOH Undersecretary & Assistant Secretary | M.D. (UP Manila), M.P.H. (Harvard), TOYM Awardee (2022) |
