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DR. ORLANDO S. MERCADO

Dr. Orlando Sanchez Mercado is a Filipino diplomat, a former Senator and Secretary of National Defense. Orly, as he is more commonly known in the Philippines, is a veteran broadcaster and professor of political science, communication and business management.

The second of five children of public school teacher Guillermo P. Mercado of Dagami, Leyte and Adriana Sanchez of Bacoor, Cavite, Orlando "Orly" Mercado was born on April 26, 1946. He grew up in the depressed area of Fabie St. behind the Paco Railroad Station in Manila.

A product of the public school system, Orly graduated valedictorian of Celedonio Salvador Elementary School and with honors at the Manuel A. Roxas High School. He was the first public school student to represent the country in 1961 in the New York Mirror Youth Forum in New York, U.S.A.

Orly supported his college education by working as a casual laborer at Manila’s City Engineer’s Office and later as a clerk at City Hall. He earned degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Master of Arts in Communication, and Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science all from the University of the Philippines.

Orly got his first break as broadcaster when he landed a job as radio-TV announcer of the Republic Broadcasting System (now GMA Network, Inc.) while taking his Political Science course at the State University. He lost that job when he organized a labor union that later declared a strike. He then transferred to ABS-CBN where he started as a police reporter. He was later tapped to head and anchor the popular radio program Radyo Patrol of ABS-CBN from 1969 to 1971.

He distinguished himself with his fearless reportage of contemporary events and hard hitting social commentaries. He was detained in Fort Bonifacio for almost ten months after martial law was declared.

Orly produced and hosted the popular Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko, the country’s longest running public service program on GMA Network, helping the indigents and the needy from different parts of the country. The program has been on the air since December 1975. For his responsive and relevant broadcast programs he was honored with various citations and awards, including the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Awards in 1978 in the field of Public Service-Broadcast media.

As an educator, Orly was associate professor and head of the Communication Arts Department of Maryknoll (now Miriam) College, a member of the faculty of the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, Assumption College, University of Santo Tomas, Dela Salle University and Kobe College in Nishinomiya, Japan.

Orly was elected on his first try at national politics to the First Regular Batasang Pambansa as an opposition member of Parliament in Quezon City. He topped the May 14, 1984 elections and bested more seasoned politicians associated with then strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

When President Corazon Aquino was swept to power by a civilian-backed military uprising in 1986, Orly was appointed chairman of the national Parks Development Committee which had jurisdiction over Luneta or Rizal Park.

He was elected to the Senate of the Philippines in 1987 and 1992. He served two consecutive six year terms.

During his stint in the Philippine Senate, Orly served as Majority Floorleader and chairman of the Senate Committees on Trade and Commerce, Science and Technology, Environment, Cooperatives and Defense and Security. Among the laws of national importance he was principal author of are: The Generics Drugs and Medicines Act, The Magna Charta for Disabled Persons, The Consumer Act, Salt Iodization Act, Voluntary Blood Donation Act, Intellectual Property Code, Children's Media Act, Armed Forces Modernization Act, and the Philippine National Police Reform Act.

He was principal author of Res. No. 49 "Resolution concurring in the Ratification of of the UN Convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their destruction."

He represented the Congress in the UNCED Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and was an active member of the Parliamentarians for Global Action based in New York.

For championing the cause of the environmentalists, Orly was chosen to chair the Green Coalition, a non-stock environmental advocacy non-governmental organization (NGO).

He was adviser to the government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) panel in talks with the Moro National Liberation Front from 1993 to 1996 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Organization of Islamic Conference was a critical participant. A peace agreement was signed in 1996.

As the first civilian head of the military establishment since 1987, he instituted a reorganization program in the Department of National Defense to assert civilian supremacy over the military. He initiated reforms in the Retirement and Separation Benefit System (RSBS), the pension fund of the soldiers. He instituted a computerization program for the Philippine Veterans Administration Office (PVAO) as a means of reducing the incidence of graft in the agency. He pioneered in the use of information technology for procurement of equipment and supplies of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Systems introduced became the basis of the implementing rules and regulations when Congress later passed an e-commerce law.

He oversaw the military's fight against separatism and terrorism.

He concurrently chaired the National Disaster Coordinating Council and shifted the agency's focus from disaster response to preparedness.

After a three year teaching stint in Japan, he returned to Manila in 2008, to be President and CEO of RPN TV Channel 9. In a year's time, it became a "green" network and a champion of disaster risk reduction. In December 2008, the United Nations, in its fifth UN Day for South-South Cooperation celebration honored RPN TV Channel 9 and its President and CEO for its work.

From 2002 to 2008, Orly was a member of the faculty of the De la Salle University Graduate School of Business. He taught global communication courses at the Kobe College in Japan from 2004 to 2007. Orly is also involved in international development work as a consultant and technical expert on disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness for the United Nations Development Programme.

Currently, Dr. Orlando Mercado is the Philippines Permanent Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As ambassador to the regional body, Orly is based in Jakarta, Indonesia, where the ASEAN headquarters is located.

Orly was married to the late Dorothy Jane Douglas with whom he has three children; Orlando Jr., Margo,and Mahar. He has remarried. Dr. Susan "Susy" Pineda (presently with the WHO) and Orly have a son, Renzo Orlando.

As a martial arts practitioner, he is a black belter in arnis with the rank of Lakan. He is now into boxing.