President Duterte has named Southern Leyte lone district Rep. Roger Mercado as the acting secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
This was confirmed to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Oct.13 by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who sent a copy of Mercado's one-page appointment letter to Malacañang reporters. The letter was dated Oct. 12 and was signed by the Chief Executive.
Mercado replaced Mark Villar, who had filed his candidacy for senator under the administration banner. This meant that the latter had been deemed resigned from his post, which he has held since August 2016 or just second month of the Duterte administration.
Villar, son of Senator Cynthia Villar and former Senate President Manny Villar, is himself a former House of Representatives member.
Mercado is a deputy majority leader in the House and is a vice chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Highways.
Roque, in subsequent statement, also confirmed the appointment of Romando Artes as the new general manager of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
"We are confident that Secretary Mercado and General Manager Artes will continue to oversee the completion of their department’s programs and projects in the remaining months of the current government," he said.
President Duterte will step down from Malacañang on June 30, 2022.