Art Mercado
Mayor of San Pedro, Laguna
Assumed office
June 30, 2022
Preceded byLourdes "Baby" Cataquiz
Vice Mayor of San Pedro, Laguna
In office
June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Preceded byIryne Vierneza
Succeeded byDivina Olivarez
City Councilor of San Pedro, Laguna
In office
June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Personal details
Born
Art Joseph Francis Mercado

(1990-05-22) May 22, 1990 (age 34)
San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines
Diedthumb]]
Resting placethumb]]
Political partyLakas–CMD (2022-present), PDP-LABAN (2019-2022), Nationalist People's Coalition (2016-2019)
SpouseMika Mercado[1]
Children2
Parent
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Education
Occupationpolitician, businessman

Art Joseph Francis Mercado, or popularly known as Art Mercado (born May 22, 1990) is a Filipino politician who currently serves as the Mayor of the City of San Pedro, Laguna.[2] He previously served as Vice Mayor of the City of San Pedro from 2019 to 2022, and City Councilor from 2016 to 2019.[3]

Early Life and Education

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Born in the then-Municipality of San Pedro, Laguna on May 22, 1990, Mercado finished his elementary education at the Maria Montessori Foundation in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City.[4] In 2006, he graduated from high school at the De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, also in Muntinlupa City.[5]

From 2008 to 2009, he studied Economics at the Fullerton College in Fullerton, California, where he became part of the Dean's List and a volunteer of GLIDE San Francisco, California. Then, in 2009, he transferred to the University of San Francisco, where he finished his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude in 2011, with a GPA of 3.77. As a student, he was a tutor for Filipino at the USF Department of Modern and Classical Languages. He likewise took an introductory course on Excellence in Local Legislation offered by the University of the Philippines's National College for Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG).[6]

Business Career

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Mercado started his business career as a part-time Auditor in the family-owned Greenstar Express Inc. in 2007. After graduation, in 2013, he established the AJFM Logistics Inc., and formed the Southern Metrology and Calibration Services in 2015. Since 2020, he has been the Managing Director of The Millworks Co. Inc.[7]

Political Career

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In 2016, Mercado ran as City Councilor under the banner of the Nationalist People's Coalition, and garnered the second highest number of votes for that election's candidates in the local City Council.[8] In 2019, he ran as Vice Mayor under the PDP-LABAN Party and won against Delio Hatulan.[9] Three years later, in the 2022 elections, he won as City Mayor under the LAKAS-CMD ticket, winning against City Councilor Aaron Cataquiz.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ "San Pedro Mayor Art Mercado gets help from wife to put his office in order". Politiko. 5 July 2022.
  2. ^ Carla Bauto Deña. "3 newly-elected Laguna officials take oath before presumptive VP Sara". Manila Bulletin.
  3. ^ "Curriculum Vitae of Art Joseph Francis Mercado". Facebook. November 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Curriculum Vitae of Art Joseph Francis Mercado". Facebook. November 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "Art Joseph Mercado Graduates Magna Cum Laude From University of San Francisco". De La Salle Santiago Zobel School.
  6. ^ "Curriculum Vitae of Art Joseph Francis Mercado". Facebook. November 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "Curriculum Vitae of Art Joseph Francis Mercado". Facebook. November 12, 2021.
  8. ^ "2016 Election Results in San Pedro, Laguna". Halalan 2016. ABS-CBN News.
  9. ^ "2019 Election Results in San Pedro, Laguna". Halalan 2019. ABS-CBN News.
  10. ^ "2022 Election Results in San Pedro, Laguna". Halalan 2022. ABS-CBN News.
  11. ^ James Veloso (16 May 2022). "New Faces Dominate Political Seats In Laguna". OpinYon Laguna.