Damian Mercado

Damian Gaviola Mercado is a Filipino politician currently serving as the Governor of Southern Leyte, a position he has held since 2016. Previously, he served as the Governor from 2007 to 2013, as a representative of the province from 2013 to 2016, and as the Mayor of Maasin from 1998 to 2007. Despite facing legal challenges and a temporary suspension in 2017 related to his tenure as mayor, his suspension was overturned by the Court of Appeals, and he was reinstated in 2018. He remains an active figure in local governance.