World · Philippines Bureau
DOH warns public of scammers impersonating Health Secretary Mercado
The Department of Health has alerted Filipinos to fraudulent schemes involving individuals posing as Health Secretary Edwin Mercado to solicit donations. The agency said it has received multiple reports of such deceptive messages and calls.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) issued a public advisory Tuesday warning citizens against scammers impersonating Health Secretary Edwin Mercado in solicitation schemes. The agency said it has documented reports of individuals claiming to represent the health chief and requesting monetary contributions from unsuspecting members of the public.
The DOH emphasized that any messages or phone calls purporting to come from Secretary Mercado and requesting donations should be treated with suspicion. The department clarified that it does not solicit funds through such informal channels and urged Filipinos to exercise caution when receiving unexpected communications requesting money.
The alert comes as the DOH continues its efforts to combat fraud in the health sector. The agency previously warned the public about counterfeit medicines and vaccines circulating in the market, urging citizens to verify the authenticity of health products through official channels.
The DOH encouraged anyone receiving suspicious messages or calls claiming to be from Secretary Mercado to report the incident to the appropriate authorities. Filipinos are advised to verify any official communications through the DOH's official website and verified social media accounts before responding to donation requests.
Photo: The Department of Health Central Office Building 1 in Manila, Philippines, October 2025. Arius1998 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).