Dr. Susan Mercado’s favorite places in the Asia-Pacific

Dr. Susan Mercado, or Susy to friends and colleagues, is one woman I admire.

I was first introduced to her as the wife of my UP college professor, then senator Orly Mercado. I was surprised to know that this pretty and sweet lady had so much accomplishments as a public health expert in the country. Dr. Mercado served the Department of Health (DOH) from 1992 to 2000 first as chief executive assistant to then Health Secretary Juan Flavier, then as undersecretary and chief of staff under then Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez.

She joined the World Health Organization in 2001 and completed 15 years of service. Early this year, she was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as special envoy for global initiatives. Dr. Mercado, a magna cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, is now the Philippine nominee to the highest post of WHO in our region.

It was my pleasure to interview Dr. Mercado. Read on as she shares her favorite places in Asia and the Pacific.

President Duterte with Dr. Susan Mercado (extreme left). With them in photo are Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Climate Change Commission Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman at the Asia-Pacific Healthy Islands Conference in Davao City in June.

1. Brunei Darussalam. The quiet elegance, gentleness and cheerfulness of its people has always fascinated me. During technical meetings, we would have long lunch breaks because the civil servants would go home and have lunch with their children every day. What a wonderful way to balance work with life, and to love one’s family! It has made perfect sense for me to integrate family life into my day. Also, a trip to Brunei Darussalam is not complete without visiting the Nazmi Textile Mall of Bandar Seri Begawan. I’ve been fascinated by batik for as long as I can remember.

2. South Korea. My children love traveling to Korea. Yes, it’s the bulgogi, kimchi and bingsu at the top of the list. But then, Korea is about the whole experience — the big trees, the small shops, the great facial products, K-Pop, all bundled into clean and green cities that are walkable and safe. At my latest count, there are 81 healthy cities in the Republic of Korea. As the region becomes increasingly urban, its cities are models for open spaces and parks, modern hanging gardens, bike lanes, walkways and healthy food.

3. Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne stands out for me not just because it is such a beautiful cosmopolitan city, but because it is the home of VicHealth, the shining star of the world’s health promotion foundations. Decades ago, VicHealth used tobacco taxes to buy out tobacco advertising in sports, and the world of sports has never been the same since then. While it is obvious that tobacco and sports don’t mix, no one had found a solution to the problem of industry sponsorship. Nowadays, tobacco-free sports is the norm.

4. Singapore. My husband Orly introduced me to my first “Singapore Sling” with dried peanuts with shells that you throw on the floor at the iconic Raffles Hotel. His favorite place in the world is Singapore.  He thrives on the orderliness, the efficiency, the greenery, the garden-city that is home to the best chili crabs on the planet. We are both crab lovers, so some of our most memorable early days as a couple were spent in Singapore feasting on chili crabs day and night with beer. How I wish I could cook Singaporean chili crabs!

5. Guam. I have seen many sunsets but there is none more beautiful than the sunset from Tamuning, where the sun meets the horizon without any hindrance to the eye. The beauty of the Guam sunset is matched only by its cloudless skies at night where the stars breathe magic into each evening. It was at the WHO Regional Committee Meeting in Guam in 2015 that a group of colleagues from a member state asked me to consider becoming the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific. At the time, it was the farthest thing from my mind. But here I am — it’s the career move of my life and it started with a conversation amidst a beautiful sunset in Guam.

Guam House Speaker Benjamin Joseph Cruz, Susan Mercado and Guam Sen. Tom Ada.

6. Federated States of Micronesia. Micronesia has the most lush mangrove forests I have seen in any of the Pacific island countries. It is no wonder that fish are bountiful here and its quiet bay areas are famous tourist attractions. Health Secretary Magdalena Walter welcomed me to her office with a crown of flowers that I treasure. In the Pacific, it is second nature to pluck a flower from a shrub and tuck it behind your ear. The sweet smell of the flower reminds you to stay in the moment (it’s like inhaling an essential oil).

7. Mongolia. In Mongolia, the power and peace of the blue skies come to life. A power that is based on peaceful co-existence as envisioned by the great Genghis Khan, who ruled over the largest empire known to mankind in the 13th century. It was during Pax Mongolica when varied religions were tolerated and people lived in relative harmony. It would be called “inclusive” in today’s language. This great nation was the cradle of today’s world powers, and it is good to revisit history with a fresh lens to understand where we came from and better know where we could be going.

8. Palau. I’ve been working more closely with our counterparts in Palau in recent months. It’s a one-hour hop from the Philippines and there are so many Filipinos there, you feel like you are home! The winding roads and the beautiful beaches are a sight to behold. But for me, the main attractions are the bold flowery and geometric printed shirts of the Pacific that shout “life, hope, health!” As a child, I secretly loved floral designs on clothes, but I was always told I was too small to wear big, bold prints.

9. Vietnam. Through the years, I have made many female friends in Vietnam who have taken me to the most exotic places for pho and coffee. So my fondest memories of Vietnam are working with the women leaders over a hot bowl of pho! At the top of the list are Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, who has led the Ministry of Health for over several years, and tobacco control leader Phan Ti Hai who leads the work on tobacco control legislation including taxation. There are so many women leaders in public health in Vietnam, and that trend is increasing throughout the region as women also lead the Ministries of Health of the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas and Mongolia as well.

10. China. I just turned 59 last July.  What a journey it has been. My husband, who served as activist, oppositionist, senator and Defense secretary, has always been a student of China. Our life is punctuated by visits to this fascinating country that we can never get enough of. One of our favorites is Xi’an, with the terracotta soldiers and the best handmade pulled noodles! But through all these years, I have never had a real Chinese silk dress, the type woven by the famous mulberry worms of China. Recently, a new friend gave me the most exquisite Chinese silk — soft, elegant, refined.

(We welcome your suggestions and comments. Please e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Instagram @monsromulo.)