SOUTHERN LEYTE – In the narrow and dusty road of Tagnipa, Maasin during the early 1960s, an unassuming elementary pupil Luz Verano walked her way, with a classmate, from her father’s popular bakery to the Central Elementary School fronting the town plaza and stone-walled catholic church.
Decades later, that child became the wife of politician Roger Mercado and mother of three children. The serenely bright Luz Verano Mercado bloomed as Representative of Southern Leyte’s First District, and has been elected as the first female mayor of Maasin City during the May 2025 elections. She narrowly defeated former Vice Mayor Maloney Samaco, who also once served as Mayor, and an independent candidate Gerry Dator.
Luz brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served as the representative of Southern Leyte’s 1st congressional district since 2022. During her tenure in Congress, she authored and co-authored numerous bills focusing on tourism, national defense, education, and public information. Notably, she pushed for the development of key infrastructure projects, such as the Panan-awan Maasin Airport and the Guadalupe-Caniwan seaport, to boost the province’s connectivity and economic growth. Both projects still need more attention and resources to make them completely operational.
As city mayor, Luz V. Mercado expressed her commitment to advancing Maasin City’s development initially advocated by former mayor National “Nikko” Mercado; and focusing on infrastructure, tourism, and social services. Her leadership is anticipated to bring a fresh and motherly perspective to the city’s administration, with an emphasis on inclusive growth and community engagement. (GMReyes, DYbañez)
