Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Making healthcare more accessible, improving the patient experience, and using digital technology to connect the country&#x27;s fragmented health system are among the top priorities of newly appointed Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Edwin Mercado.</p><p>Speaking with ABS-CBN News, Mercado described his vision using the image of a rainforest.</p><p>He said the country&#x27;s healthcare system resembles a dense forest where only a few areas receive sunlight because of the thick canopy overhead. For him, the canopy represents the barriers that prevent many Filipinos, especially those in underserved communities, from getting the healthcare they need. </p><p>His goal, he said, is to remove those obstacles so quality healthcare can reach everyone, regardless of where they live or their economic status.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0aw2LbpRFJuzC1pUdssngA7YyFrWp6WKZKAcf6LEvWbuJGRtH6tU1aJDzgQ9aQZuwl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="594" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Mercado takes over the agency following the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/10/edwin-mercado-is-new-doh-chief-1544">resignation </a>of former Health Secretary Jose &quot;Brix&quot; Pujalte Jr., whose tenure lasted less than a month. But he said he is not beginning from scratch.</p><p>Before becoming health secretary, Mercado <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/who-is-edwin-mercado-the-new-doh-secretary-1636">served </a>as president and chief executive officer of PhilHealth, where he pushed reforms aimed at expanding healthcare access and improving efficiency. Those initiatives, he said, will now be scaled up across the entire health sector.</p><p>&quot;Ang objective namin is to treat all the moving parts of the health sector as one. So ang PhilHealth is very much an integral part of our health delivery system because they are the national health insurance and the biggest payer,&quot; Mercado said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ONE HEALTH SYSTEM, ONE ROADMAP </strong></div><p>Central to Mercado&#x27;s agenda is the Unified National Agenda for Health (UNA para sa Kalusugan), a roadmap built around five major priorities:</p><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li>Healthy schools, workplaces, and communities</li><li>A functional primary healthcare system</li><li>Quality and efficient hospitals</li><li>Information technology transformation</li><li>Strong health institutions and governance<br/><br/></li></ul><p>The roadmap seeks to address one of the longstanding weaknesses of the Philippine healthcare system — fragmentation. Patients often have to navigate separate clinics, hospitals, local government units, and PhilHealth offices with little coordination between them.</p><p>Mercado said the goal is to create a healthcare system where these different parts work together so patients receive continuous care instead of navigating the system on their own.</p><p>&quot;Yun yung sinasabi namin na dapat may integration at merong care coordination para yung path ng patient care journey ay malinaw. Proactively pupunta na tayo kung saan mismo nandoon ang ating mga pasyente. Hindi yung hihintayin mo pa silang pumasok sa pintuan ng mga clinics,&quot; he said.</p><p>For the first time, Mercado said, both the DOH and PhilHealth will be working under the same strategic roadmap instead of pursuing separate priorities, a move he believes will improve coordination between financing and healthcare delivery.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/2/healthcare-groups-urge-gov-t-to-stop-diverting-philhealth-funds-1851">Healthcare groups urge gov&#x27;t to stop diverting PhilHealth funds</a></div><p>The strategy is also intended to accelerate the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, which was signed into law seven years ago to automatically enroll all Filipinos in the national health insurance program and strengthen primary healthcare.</p><p>However, Mercado acknowledged that implementation has been uneven because healthcare services are largely managed by local government units under the country&#x27;s devolved system.</p><p>Rather than centralizing services, he said the DOH would look at helping local governments strengthen their health systems through better planning, financing, and technical support.</p><p>&quot;Dahil sa devolved nature natin, hindi naman DOH lang ang access point. So kailangan nating supportahan paano sila gumawa ng kanilang local health programs at saka budgeting.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/8/13/healthcare-reforms-seen-risk-raising-cancer-costs-and-straining-smaller-hospitals-1312">Healthcare reforms seen risk raising cancer costs and straining smaller hospitals</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RETAINING HEALTHCARE WORKERS </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Mercado identified the continuing migration of Filipino healthcare workers abroad as one of the country&#x27;s biggest healthcare challenges.</p><p>Instead of relying solely on salary increases, he wants hospitals to adopt performance-based incentives that reward efficiency and quality of care while sharing the gains with healthcare workers.</p><p>&quot;Ini-enganyo namin yung mga healthcare providers to be very effective. So kung aligned yung healthcare worker on the initiative to be effective, every time I talk to hospitals sabi ko, &#x27;Yung inyong mga na-earn from the efficiencies, dapat bigyan nyo rin ng corresponding performance-based compensation, yung ating healthcare worker, para aligned tayo dun sa ating objective,’&quot; he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/3/senate-oks-magna-carta-for-barangay-health-workers-1943">Senate OKs magna carta for barangay health workers</a></div><p>PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Beverly Ho said improving compensation is only part of the solution.</p><p>She said creating clearer career paths, providing more training opportunities, and allowing healthcare workers to take on expanded responsibilities can also improve job satisfaction and encourage them to remain in the country.</p><p>Ho noted that in some countries, nurses and other health professionals are allowed to perform certain responsibilities traditionally reserved for physicians, a practice known as task shifting.</p><p>&quot;Even PGH did a survey on this na it&#x27;s not always about just the monetary. So I think yun yung isa sa malaking part din ng shared agenda namin, or yung UNA para sa Kalusugan, which is also to enable more task-shifting. Ibig sabihin, mabigyan ng bigger role yung ibang types ng health workers. Hindi lahat, doktor lang yung gagawa. So, if they have more role, then they also will feel more empowered and more satisfied in their work,&quot; Ho said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/31/several-health-workers-protest-vs-tro-on-wage-hike-in-metro-manila-1833">Health workers protest vs TRO on wage hike in Metro Manila</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RESTORING TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>With only about 22 months left in the current administration, Mercado acknowledged that time is limited but believes meaningful reforms are still achievable because many initiatives began during his stint at PhilHealth.</p><p>Beyond implementing programs, he said rebuilding public confidence in the Department of Health will be equally important.</p><p>To improve transparency, Mercado plans to release monthly public reports detailing the agency&#x27;s accomplishments and progress under its healthcare roadmap.</p><p>He also wants to modernize the department&#x27;s procurement and logistics systems by bringing in private-sector supply chain experts and digitizing inventory management. The reforms aim to prevent medicine shortages, improve monitoring of supplies, and make government procurement more efficient.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/3/tesda-chief-says-lack-of-infrastructure-hinders-healthcare-training-eyes-digital-expansion-1638">TESDA chief says lack of infrastructure hinders healthcare training, eyes digital expansion</a></div><p>Within the department, Mercado said he hopes to foster a culture of collaboration and recognize employees who contribute to improving public service.</p><p>&quot;Dapat i-develop yung kultura na pagtutulungan para sabay-sabay tayong uusad at pahalagahan yung mga achievements na nagagawa ng ating mga empleyado. So I think number one is to lead by example and also to walk the talk. So yun po yung ating pinapakita at hopefully nga in the next few months ay mas ma-engage na natin yung ating mga kawani dito sa DOH,&quot; he said.</p><p>Just over a week after taking his oath before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Mercado said he has already begun visiting DOH regional offices to better understand the challenges faced by local health systems. He added that new appointments within the department are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as the agency begins implementing its new agenda. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zl0V8e04mM4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Making healthcare more accessible, improving the patient experience, and using digital technology to connect the country's fragmented health system are among the top priorities of newly appointed Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Edwin Mercado.</p>

Making healthcare more accessible, improving the patient experience, and using digital technology to connect the country's fragmented health system are among the top priorities of newly appointed Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Edwin Mercado.

DOH chief Edwin Mercado eyes more accessible, digitally connected healthcare system

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DOH chief Edwin Mercado eyes more accessible, digitally connected healthcare system

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 20, 2026 01:39 PM PHT

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Updated August 20, 2026 01:42 PM PHT

Read More:

Department of Health

Sec. Edwin Mercado

PhilHealth

Dr. Beverly Ho

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