The Daily Tribune
Marcos: Ledesma resigned, found PhilHealth chief post too difficult
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expressed confidence in the newly appointed PhilHealth Chief, Dr. Edwin Mercado, highlighting his extensive experience in healthcare.
Mercado, who took his oath on February 4, 2025, replaced Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., who resigned citing difficulties with the political aspects of the role.
The appointment comes amidst ongoing questions about the legality of transferring PhilHealth funds to the national treasury, a process currently under a Supreme Court restraining order.
Marcos and Mercado share a commitment to digitalizing PhilHealth's services to improve efficiency, as the current manual processing of claims and applications is very slow.
Mercado has vowed to address internal issues within the state health insurer.
A total of P60 billion has already been transferred to the national treasury, with P29.9 billion remaining with the agency out of an expected P89.9 billion.
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Dr. Edwin Mercado, the new president and chief executive officer of PhilHealth, vowed to address the agency's systemic problems, which he likened to illnesses needing treatment.
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Independent health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon urged the new PhilHealth President and CEO Edwin Mercado to uphold the agency's mandate of protecting Filipinos' health.
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Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and CEO Edwin Mercado plans to improve the agency's operations and combat fraud through digitization.
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Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito urged the new PhilHealth president, Dr. Edwin Mercado, to prioritize public welfare and the Universal Health Care (UHC) law's implementation over profit.
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The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of transferring P89.9 billion in unused Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) funds to the National Treasury.
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