A simple turnover ceremony was held at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Monday in Pasig City, where outgoing president and CEO (PCEO) Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. officially handed over leadership to incoming chief, Dr. Edwin M. Mercado.

The event marked a smooth transition of leadership at the state health insurer.

Dr. Mercado, a US-trained orthopedic surgeon with 35 years of experience in hospital management, was sworn in by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace on 4 February.

His extensive expertise in strategic planning, financial management, and primary care programs positions him well to lead PhilHealth toward its mission of providing financial access to quality healthcare for all Filipinos.

In his first address to PhilHealth employees during a corporate-wide flag ceremony, Dr. Mercado said, “We are responding to the directive of our beloved President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., and this is to ensure that our services continue without interruption and expand the benefits further.”

He expressed his gratitude to Ledesma for his leadership and emphasized his commitment to further enhancing the program for the benefit of all Filipinos.

Under Ledesma’s two-year leadership, PhilHealth made significant strides, particularly in benefits enhancement.

Ledesma reaffirmed his continued support for PhilHealth’s implementation of Universal Health Care. “Leaders may change, but our purpose to provide adequate health insurance coverage and ensure that every Filipino has access to affordable, accessible, and acceptable healthcare remains the same,” he said.

Dr. Mercado also made key promises during his address, including reducing out-of-pocket medical costs for patients. He aims to lower the costs from the current 45-47 percent to as much as 25%.

“We will continue to expand and improve our benefits so that Filipinos will feel them more whenever they seek medical treatment at hospitals,” he pledged.

To achieve this, he highlighted the importance of collecting accurate and relevant data to serve as the foundation for future benefit enhancements.

“This is to achieve our goal of reducing additional costs that come from the pockets of our members whenever they get sick,” Mercado added.

Mercado also plans to prioritize computerization and digitalization, utilizing modern technologies to improve member experience, enhance stakeholder engagement, and streamline operational processes.

“I will use my abilities and extensive experience in the field of healthcare to fulfill the mandate of the Corporation,” he said.

With the support of PhilHealth’s 9,000 employees, Dr. Mercado vowed to deliver good news to the public regularly. “We will strive to share good news every 30 days (for the members),” he concluded.