. ▁After ▁being ▁designated ▁as ▁the ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁Research , ▁Ext ension , ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁Poly techn ic ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁he ▁attended ▁an ▁Executive ▁Development ▁Program ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Commission ▁on ▁High er ▁Education ▁( CH ED ) ▁with ▁other ▁university ▁administr ators ▁to ▁further ▁his ▁knowledge ▁on ▁higher ▁education ▁management . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Poly techn ic ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁( 2 0 0 5 - present ) ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Mer c ado ▁first ▁sat ▁as ▁the ▁Act ing ▁Director ▁of ▁P UP ▁R ag ay . ▁Con sequently , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁P UP ▁Sto . ▁Tom as ▁Bat ang as ▁and ▁then ▁designated ▁as ▁the ▁Dean ▁of ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Science . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁Ass istant ▁Director ▁of ▁Center ▁for ▁Data ▁and ▁Statist ical ▁Analysis . ▁Three ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁Executive ▁Director ▁for ▁Branch es ▁and ▁Camp uses . ▁Mer c ado ▁then ▁sat ▁as ▁the ▁Vice ▁President ▁for ▁Branch es ▁and ▁Camp uses ▁for ▁another ▁three ▁years . ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Mer c ado ▁was ▁then ▁appointed ▁by ▁E manuel ▁de ▁Gu z man , ▁the ▁university ' s ▁President , ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Vice ▁President ▁for ▁Research , ▁Ext ension , ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁Development . ▁To ▁purs ue ▁personal ▁endeav ours , ▁Mer c ado ▁res