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Roger Mercado
Roger Mercado
	Roger Mercado at the inauguration of the Sariaya Bypass Road
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Southern Leyte's at-large district
	In office; June 30, 1987 – October 15, 1991
President	Corazon Aquino
Vice President	Salvador Laurel
Preceded by	Nicanor Yñiguez
Succeeded by	Rosette Yñiguez Lerias
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Southern Leyte's at-large district
	In office; June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998
President	Fidel V. Ramos
Vice President	Joseph Estrada
Preceded by	Rosette Lerias
Succeeded by	Aniceto G. Saludo Jr.
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Southern Leyte's at-large district
	In office; June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2013
President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2004-2010); Benigno Aquino III (2010-2013)
Vice President	Noli de Castro (2004-2010); Jejomar Binay (2010-2013)
Preceded by	Aniceto G. Saludo Jr.
Succeeded by	Damian Mercado
Governor of Southern Leyte
	In office; June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2016
President	Benigno Aquino III
Vice President	Jejomar Binay
Preceded by	Damian Mercado
Succeeded by	Damian Mercado
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Southern Leyte's at-large district
	In office; June 30, 2016 – October 13, 2021
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Vice President	Leni Robredo
Preceded by	Damian Mercado
Succeeded by	Vacant
Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways
	In office; October 13, 2021 – June 30, 2022
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Vice President	Leni Robredo
Preceded by	Mark Villar
Succeeded by	Manuel Bonoan
Personal details
Born	Roger Gaviola Mercado; August 28, 1963
Political party	Lakas-CMD; Liberal Party; NUP

Roger "Oging" Gaviola Mercado is a congressman and secretary. He was the congressman of Southern Leyte's 1st congressional district in the 1987 Philippine House of Representatives elections. After his tenure, he was appointed as the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Career

Congressman

He won as congressman of Southern Leyte's 1st congressional district as part of the Lakas–CMD^[1] party in the 1987 Philippine House of Representatives elections.^[2]^[3] During his tenure as congressman, he was a member in the House Committee on Labor and Employment, the House Committee on Science and Technology, the House Committee on Justice, the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reform, the House Committee of Trade and Industry, the House Committee of Ways and Means, and the House Committee on Sports.^[4] He opposed the Presidential Commission Against Graft.^[5] Just after the 1992 Philippine general election, Mercado was the chair of the House Agrarian Reform Committee.^[6]^[7]

Post-congress

Mercado ran for governor in the 2001 Philippine general election, failing against Rosette Lerias of the Nationalist People's Coalition, with him running with Lakas-CMD again. He gained 65,522 votes while Lerias gained 67,047 votes.^[8]

Secretary

On October 12, 2021, Mercado was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to become the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways. He is the successor of former chief Mark Villar.^[9] Because of the appointment, he abandoned his re-election bid for the congressman of Southern Leyte's 1st congressional district. His wife, Luz Mercado, ran for the re-election bid of Mercado,^[10] eventually winning as congresswoman.^[11]

Controversy

Following the 2001 Philippine general election, Rosette Lerias, an opponent of Mercado, filed an election protest against him, citing lack of merit. Two lawyers were present, though the protest was dismissed. Following the dismissal, a proclamation was filed, which was stalled when Mercado also filed a protest on May 17, which was also dismissed.^[12] She also created an election protest in the 1987 elections, which was declined.^[3] The next year, she accused Mercado of allegedly stealing four ballot boxes, which allegedly contains more than 146 votes in favor of Lerias.^[13]