Senators on Monday, August 10 expressed high hopes for the health sector as Malacañang announces Dr. Edwin Mercado as the new Department of Health (DOH) chief, Dr. Edwin Mercado.

PhilHealth President and CEO, Dr. Edwin Mercado, graced the opening of the Alfredo R.A. Bengzon Patient Access Ward.

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said there’s newfound hope in Mercado’s appointment saying: “This will be a UHC (Universal Health Care)-friendly team!”

“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,” Ejercito said, principal author and sponsor of the Universal Health Care Act or Republic Act No. 11223.

Ejercito also said he is glad to see Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho take the helm of PhilHealth as its new President and CEO.

“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,” he said.

“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.

Ejercito said he is hopeful that with Dr. Mercado and Dr. Ho leading these two important institutions, the government can achieve the objectives of the UHC law of providing quality and affordable healthcare services for all Filipinos.

“I look forward to working with them as we plan to undertake a review of the UHC implementation as we approach its 10th year,” he said.

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero also welcomed the Palace’s appointment of a new Health Secretary, saying this helps resolve the leadership issues that have recently hounded the DOH and threatened to disrupt the implementation of the UHC Act.

Escudero also said the decision provides “much‑needed clarity and stability” for the agency, which needed intervention to ensure the continuity and execution of the UHC program.

“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.

Likewise, Escudero welcomed the designation of Dr. Ho as the new President and CEO of PhilHealth, saying her appointment complements the leadership transition at the DOH.

Ho, the current chief health officer of Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., previously served at the DOH as undersecretary and was the deputy spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“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.

Last week, in his podcast Chiz Wiz! Usapang May Laman Escudero appealed to the Palace to address the DOH’s leadership concerns involving Mercado’s immediate predecessor, Jose “Brix” Pujalte Jr., warning that unresolved issues could hinder the rollout of UHC and weaken preventive healthcare programs nationwide.

With a new secretary now in place, he said the DOH can refocus on strengthening UHC implementation, particularly in widening PhilHealth coverage and improving access for both public and private health facilities.

Escudero also said incoming Health Secretary Mercado, who is a US‑trained orthopedic surgeon with 35 years of experience in hospital management and has served as PhilHealth president and CEO since February last year, brings institutional familiarity that can help stabilize ongoing reforms.

“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 said, noting that PhilHealth currently covers nearly 70 million registered members and more than 38 million dependents, or over 108 million Filipinos.