ronna.bretana@urc.com.

ph
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bout Us
History
Mercury Drug was founded by Mariano Que in 1945, shortly after the liberation of Manila from the
Japanese occupation.
It all began from a bottle of sulfathiaole ! considered a wonder drug at that time for all maladies !
which Mr. Que bought with his hard"earned sa#ings of $hp1%% and which he sold piece by piece in
the sidewal&s of 'ambang (t. from a pushcart.
Mr. Que e#entually opened his first store in 'ambang on March 1, 1945.
)e chose the name and image of the messenger and god of commerce in *oman mythology,
Mercury, as his store+s name and logo to symbolie his establishment+s #ow to bring ,uality, safe and
affordable medicines faster and closer to the public.
-nd he did fulfill that #ow.
.rom that modest beginning, Mercury /rug has opened branch after branch all o#er the $hilippines
to ensure that new stoc&s of medicines are within easy reach of .ilipinos e#erywhere. 0oday, it has
grown into a #ast networ& of more than 9%% stores nationwide.
Mercury /rug belie#es it owes its success to the millions of customers who ha#e trusted and
patronied the pharmacy chain through the years and to the professionalism and dedication of its o#er
11,%%% staff.
Services
Mercury /rug has e#ol#ed from being 1ust a pharmacy to a full"ser#ice health and wellness store
offering a full complement of healthcare ser#ices to help promote healthy lifestyles and impro#e the
,uality of life of .ilipinos.
Mercury /rug ta&es pride in the introduction of many firsts in the pharmacy retail business ! all in an
effort to satisfy, please and further ser#e the people.
It pioneered the motoried customer deli#ery ser#ice in 1942 and longer hours of store ser#ice, with a
13"hour ser#ice introduced in 1954 that e#ol#ed into the 44"hour ser#ice in 1955. 0oday, more than
1%% Mercury /rug stores are open 44 hours. It introduced the self"ser#ice concept in drug store
selling in 1956 at its first Ma&ati store. In 1953, it installed the country+s first computeried
temperature"controlled central warehouse and in 1959, it became the first pharmacy chain to use
biological refrigerators in all its stores to preser#e life"sa#ing medicines. In 4%14, it introduced the
first dri#e"thru pharmacy ser#ice in the country in its 7rtigas, (an Juan store. Many other 8firsts+ in
pharmacy retail ser#ice ha#e been introduced through the years.
9.or being the pioneering spirit behind health and wellness retail industry and for spurring an
industry that ensures that high ,uality medicines are always a#ailable within reach of .ilipinos
regardless of age or economic class,: Mr. Mariano Que was honored in January 4%14 as the .ather of
$hilippine )ealth and ;ellness *etailing by the $hilippine *etailers -ssociation and /epartment of
0rade < Industry.
Indeed this was the spirit that inspired Mr. Que to start Mercury /rug. -nd through the years, the
spirit of ser#ice has ne#er wa#ered.
=ear after year, Mercury /rug continues to ser#e the people, committed to its name and its corporate
philosophy of total and speedy customer ser#ice > 9to ha#e what you want, where you want it, when
you want it, how you want it.:
___________________________________________
First Mercury Drug Store at Bambang St., Manila
First Mercury Drug Selfser!ice Store opened in Makati "#$%
Mercury Drug introduced its &'hour ser!ice in its (uiapo store in "#$)
first Mercury Drug dri!ethru ser!ice introduced in its *rtigas, +reenhills store in &,"&
_______________________________________________________
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(u&i $ri#ileges
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@alue Aards
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_______________________________________________________________http788www.scribd.com8doc8%'$9$',#80harm
acology:ursing
7 Mercury Avenue, corner E. Rodrigu
Quezon City
PH-1110
Philippine
!elephone" + #$ % &11 '071
()*" + #$ % &11 ##7$
+e, ite" http"--..../ercurydrug.co/
Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Mercury Group of Companies, Inc.
Incorporated: 1945
Employees: 7,000
Sales: PHP 42.98 billion ($8.8 billion) (2003 est.)
!IC: 446110 Pharmaies an! "r#$ %tores
&er#r' "r#$ (or)oration is the Phili))ines* !ominant )harma' $ro#). +he ,#e-on
(it'.base! om)an' o)erates a national hain o/ more than 450 !r#$stores, inl#!in$
om)an'.o0ne! an! /ranhise! stores. &er#r' "r#$ is estimate! to sell as m#h as 60
)erent o/ all me!iines sol! eah 'ear in the Phili))ines (the o#ntr'*s hos)itals sell
abo#t 12 )erent o/ me!iines). &er#r' "r#$*s )harmaies /ollo0 the 1merian mo!el,
ombinin$ !r#$ an! me!ial e2#i)ment sales 0ith o3er.the.o#nter me!iines,
)ersonal are items, basi ho#sehol! nee!s, osmetis an! other bea#t' )ro!#ts, an!
the li4e. &ost o/ the om)an'*s stores also are e2#i))e! to store an! sell ser#ms, bloo!
)lasma, alb#min, an! similar biolo$iall' ati3e me!ial )ro!#ts. 5n a!!ition to its
!r#$stores, &er#r' o)erates a hain o/ &er#r' "r#$ %#)erstores. 6enerall' attahe!
to the om)an'*s )harmaies, the &er#r' "r#$ %#)erstores e7ten! the $ro#)*s
assortment to inl#!e on3eniene store an! /ast./oo! items. 8' the mi!.2000s,
&er#r' "r#$ (or)oration o)erate! more than 150 &er#r' "r#$ %#)erstores.
9o#n!e! b' &ariano ,#e, 0ho /irst sol! )ills /rom a )#shart in the 1940s, &er#r'
"r#$ (or)oration remains a )ri3atel' hel! om)an'. :ea!ershi) o/ the om)an' also
remains in the /amil'; +he om)an'*s )resi!ent is &ariano ,#e*s !a#$hter, <i3ian ,#e.
1sona. &er#r' "r#$ is a s#bsi!iar' o/ the &er#r' 6ro#) o/ (om)anies, 0hih
$o3erns other ,#e /amil' interests, inl#!in$ the 10=, on3eniene store hain an! the
+ro)ial H#t /ast./oo! $ro#). 5n 2003, &er#r' "r#$*s re3en#es amo#nte! to nearl'
PHP 43 billion ($8.8 billion).
(ounding ) (ilipino Ph)r/)cy 0i)nt in the 1&10
&ariano ,#e starte! his areer 0or4in$ in a &anila !r#$store in )re0ar Phili))ines.
+here he ame into ontat 0ith man' me!iations, inl#!in$ the ne0l' !iso3ere! lass
o/ s#l/a !r#$s, inl#!in$ s#l/athia-ole. +hese ne0 !r#$s, !e3elo)e! b' 6erman sientists
in the earl' 1930s, 0ere 2#i4l' haile! as ne0 >mirale> !r#$s. 5n!ee!, the s#l/a !r#$s
enable! the treatment o/ man' illnesses, s#h as )ne#monia, $onorrhea, an! other
baterial in/etions, that )re3io#sl' ha! been !i//i#lt, i/ im)ossible, to treat. "es)ite the
/at that the s#l/a !r#$s later 0ere sho0n to ha3e a n#mber o/ #n!esirable si!e e//ets
(the' /orme! !e)osits in the 4i!ne's, an! bateria 2#i4l' beame resistant), the' 0ere
re!ite! 0ith sa3in$ millions o/ li3es aro#n! the 0orl! thro#$h ?orl! ?ar 55.
+he en! o/ the 0ar an! the liberation o/ the Phili))ines b' @.%. /ores bro#$ht ne0
b#siness o))ort#nities in the o#ntr'. "#rin$ the o#)ation, s#))lies o/ me!iines ha!
beome sare, an! the imme!iate )ost0ar )erio! sa0 a s#r$e in !eman! /or s#l/a
!r#$s, an! s#l/athia-ole, onsi!ere! b' man' to be a 3irt#al #re.all. ?ith most o/ the
o#ntr'*s b#sinesses, inl#!in$ its )harmaies, !estro'e! !#rin$ the 0ar, m#h o/ the
o#ntr'*s tra!e shi/te! to its b#s' mar4et)laes. &ariano ,#e, ins)ire! b' the ne0
entre)rene#rial s)irit, #se! his !r#$store e7)eriene to la#nh his o0n b#siness.
1t /irst, ,#e bo#$ht an! sol! me!ial 3ials an! a)s#les. 1/ter he ha! $enerate!
s#//iient sa3in$s, ho0e3er, he too4 PHP 100 (0orth abo#t $1.50 at the time) an!
bo#$ht a bottle o/ s#l/athia-ole tablets. ,#e bro#$ht the s#l/athia-ole bottle to &anila*s
b#s' 8anban$ mar4et an! sol! the )illsAin sin$le !oses. +he metho! o/ sellin$, 4no0n
as >+in$i.tin$i,> beame e7tremel' )o)#lar in the )o3ert'.stri4en Phili))ines, brin$in$
li/e.sa3in$ me!iations 0ithin /inanial reah o/ man' more )eo)le than be/ore.
,#e in3este! his )ro/its in )#rhasin$ more )ills, an! be/ore lon$ he ha! $enerate!
eno#$h re3en#e to b#' a )#shart, 0hih he /ille! 0ith an e7)an!in$ assortment o/
)harmae#tials. +he #nre$#late! nat#re o/ the o#ntr'*s !r#$ mar4et, es)eiall' its
)harmae#tial bla4 mar4et, le! to ab#ses b' sellers, 0ho sometimes )e!!le! /a4e or
!an$ero#s /orm#lations, or sol! me!iations lon$ o#t o/ !ate, o/ten at e7tortionist
)ries.
,#e, ho0e3er, b#ilt a re)#tation /or the 2#alit' an! /reshness o/ his )ro!#ts, an! also
/or the /airness o/ his )ries. 8e/ore too lon$, he ha! b#ilt #) a stea!' lientele, an! in
&arh 1945, ,#e o)ene! his /irst store. ,#e name! the 8amban$.loate! store &er#r'
"r#$, a/ter the Boman $o! an! bearer o/ the a!#e#s, the s'mbol o/ the me!ial
)ro/ession.
2r)nching 3ut in the 1&70
&er#r' "r#$ remaine! a one.store o)eration into the 1960s. 5n the meantime, ,#e
ontin#e! to !ri3e inno3ations in the 9ili)ino )harma' setor. 5n 1948, /or e7am)le,
,#e be$an a !r#$ !eli3er' ser3ie, beomin$ the /irst to #se motori-e! 3ehiles /or
s0i/ter !eli3er' times. 5n the 1950s, ,#e e7)an!e! his store ho#rs, intro!#in$ a 17.
ho#r.)er.!a', se3en.!a's.)er.0ee4 o)enin$ she!#le. Part o/ the moti3ation behin! the
mo3e ame in reo$nition o/ a 9ili)ino ten!en' to a#to.me!iate their illnesses. 8'
remainin$ o)en lon$er, &er#r' "r#$ res)on!e! to its lients* !eman!s /or inrease!
aess to )harmae#tial )ro!#ts. :a#nhe! in 1952, the ne0 o)enin$ she!#le 0as
e7)an!e! to 24 ho#rs )er !a' in 1965.
&er#r' "r#$ be$an its !ri3e to beome the Phili))ines* !ominant !r#$store $ro#) in
the ne7t !ea!e. 1t the be$innin$ o/ the 1960s, the om)an' 0as ontate! b' the 1'ala
(or)oration, 0hih 0as b#il!in$ a sho))in$ enter in &a4ati. 1'ala o//ere! to lease
s)ae to &er#r', in or!er to inl#!e !r#$store ser3ies at the enter. &er#r' a$ree!,
an! one a$ain re3eale! its )enhant /or inno3ation, o)enin$ the o#ntr'*s /irst sel/.
ser3ie )harma' in 1963.
+0o 'ears later, &er#r' o)ene! its thir! !r#$store, in ,#ia)o, 0hih beame the
om)an'*s /la$shi) an! set the mo!el /or its /#rther !e3elo)ment. 5n 1967, the om)an'
o)ene! a entrali-e! 0areho#se to ser3e its $ro0in$ store hain, intro!#in$ om)#ter.
$#i!e! tem)erat#re ontrols to sa/e$#ar! its )ro!#ts. +hen, in 1969, the om)an'
beame the /irst to intro!#e biolo$ial re/ri$erators in its stores. +his )ermitte! the
om)an' to ass#re the 2#alit' o/ its li/e.sa3in$ me!iines.
&er#r' "r#$ be$an b#il!in$ o#t its net0or4 o/ !r#$stores, sta'in$ lose to the &anila
mar4et /or m#h o/ the earl' 1970s. +he om)an' also be$an branhin$ o#t be'on!
)harmae#tial sales. 1 si$ni/iant earl' )#rhase 0as that o/ &e!ial (enter "r#$
(or)oration (&("(). 9o#n!e! in 1946, &("( /o#se! on sales o/ )harmae#tial
s#))lies, e2#i)ment, an! basi s#r$ial instr#ments.
+he )#rhase o/ &("(, om)lementar' to its e7istin$ !r#$store b#siness, le! &er#r'
"r#$ to han$e its str#t#re. 5n 1972, ,#e reate! the &er#r' 6ro#) o/ (om)anies,
5n., 0hih in t#rn o3ersa0 &er#r' "r#$ an! &("(. 8oth om)anies remaine!
in!e)en!ent o/ the otherC in 1980, &("( han$e! its name, to &e!ial (enter +ra!in$
(or)oration (&(+(), in or!er to hi$hli$ht its !i//erene /rom &er#r' "r#$. &(+(
then $re0 into the Phili))ines* lea!in$ im)orter an! !istrib#tor o/ me!ial, hos)ital,
laborator', an! relate! e2#i)ment, 0ith branhes thro#$ho#t the &etro &anila an!
s#rro#n!in$ re$ion.
&(+( 0as not the onl' 3ent#re b' ,#e (0ho 0as Doine! b' !a#$hter <i3ian ,#e.
1sona, later )resi!ent o/ &er#r' "r#$) to e7)an! be'on! his !r#$store em)ire. +he
intro!#tion o/ the on3eniene store one)t in the Phili))ines in the earl' 1980s
re)resente! both a ne0 so#re o/ om)etition /or &er#r' "r#$ an! a ne0 o))ort#nit'.
&er#r' !e3elo)e! its o0n on3eniene /ormat in res)onse to the $ro0th o/ om)etitors
s#h as 7.11. +')iall' loate! ne7t to its !r#$stores, the &er#r' "r#$ %#)erstores
e7)an!e! the om)an'*s ran$e o/ $oo!s be'on! !r#$s an! into 0i!er ons#mer
ate$ories, s#h as bea#t' an! )ersonal are )ro!#ts, /ast./oo!s, an! the li4e.
%e)aratel', the ,#e /amil' a!!e! other interests, inl#!in$ the ,=10 on3eniene store
/ormat an! the +ro)ial H#t /ast./oo! resta#rant hain. Eonetheless, &er#r' "r#$
(or)oration remaine! the /o#s o/ the /amil'*s hol!in$s.
43ligopoly4 in the 5e. Century
&er#r' "r#$, mean0hile, ontin#e! to $ro0 stron$l'. 5n 1976, the om)an' e7)an!e!
be'on! the &etro &anila mar4et /or the /irst time, an! o3er the ne7t !ea!es a!!e!
loations in the :#-on, <isa'as, an! &in!anao re$ions o/ the Phili))ines as 0ell.
%#))ortin$ this net0or4 0as the im)lementation o/ a /#ll' om)#teri-e! 0areho#sin$,
in3entor', an! or!er )roessin$ s'stem, installe! in 1985.
&er#r' "r#$*s $ro0th 0as im)ressi3e; 8' 1995, the om)an' o)erate! more than 270
stores. :ess than ten 'ears later, &er#r' ha! e7)an!e! its n#mber o/ branhes to more
than 450, $i3in$ it a near mono)ol' $ri) on the o#ntr'*s !r#$ sales. 8' 2004, &er#r'
ontrolle! as m#h as 60 )erent o/ all !r#$ sales in the Phili))ines.
5roniall', &er#r'*s !ominant )osition le! the $ro#), 0hih ha! ahie3e! its earl'
$ro0th base! on its lo0 )ries, to be ritii-e! /or 0hat man' onsi!ere! as its
restriti3el' hi$h )ries. 5n!ee!, as some ritis )ointe! o#t, similar !r#$s o#l! be
)#rhase! in 5n!ia an! other mar4ets /or as m#h as one.thir! the )rie &er#r' "r#$
har$e!.
5n the earl' 2000s, the $o3ernment be$an ta4in$ ation to /ore the Phili))ines* !r#$
in!#str', inl#!in$ &er#r' "r#$, to lo0er )ries on man' li/e.sa3in$ me!iines. 1s
)art o/ that e//ort, the o#ntr'*s +ra!e an! 5n!#str' an! Health !e)artments be$an
eno#ra$in$ the )arallel im)ortation o/ )harmae#tial $eneris /rom 5n!ia, 0hih ha!
earne! 0orl!0i!e reo$nition /or the 2#alit' o/ its $eneri e2#i3alents.
Co/p)ny Perpective"
"he company#s mission is continuously be the leadin$, trusted and carin$ dru$store.
5n 2004, the $o3ernment ste))e! #) its )ress#re. 5n %e)tember o/ the 'ear, the
$o3ernment )asse! le$islation e7)an!in$ !r#$ !iso#nts /or the o#ntr'*s senior
iti-ens. +he o#ntr'*s smaller in!e)en!ent !r#$store o0ners )roteste! the !eision, in
)art bea#se it 0as e7)ete! to ser3e onl' to inrease &er#r'*s !ominane o3er the
mar4etAas the o#ntr'*s lar$est retailer o/ )harmae#tial )ro!#ts, &er#r' 0as easil'
able to ne$otiate !iso#nte! )ries /rom its s#))lies. 1lso in that 'ear, Presi!ent
1rro'o establishe! the lo0erin$ o/ !r#$ )ries as one o/ the $o3ernment*s )riorities.
5n "eember 2004, the 9ili)ino $o3ernment anno#ne! a ne0 )lan to brea4 0hat some
0ere allin$ &er#r'*s >oli$o)ol'> on the o#ntr'*s retail mar4et. +he Phili))ine
5nternational +ra!in$ (or). (P5(+), o0ne! an! r#n b' the 9ili)ino $o3ernment,
anno#ne! its intention to or$ani-e #) to 300 o/ the o#ntr'*s in!e)en!ent )harmaies
into a ne0 net0or4 o/ )ri3atel' o0ne! an! o)erate! !r#$stores, !#bbe! >8oti4a n$
8a'an.> +he ne0 net0or4 0o#l! then sell !r#$s, so#re! b' P5(+ !iretl' /rom !r#$
om)anies, at )ries as m#h as si7 times less e7)ensi3e than >mar4et>Ai.e., &er#r'*s
Arates.
"es)ite these )ress#res, &er#r' "r#$ (or)oration remaine! a /i7t#re on the
Phili))ines )harma' mar4et. +he om)an' also remaine! one o/ the Phili))ines*
lar$est or)orations, ran4in$ in ei$hth )lae amon$ the o#ntr'*s lar$est or)orations
an! thir! )lae amon$ the or)orations in the hi$h.2#alit' ser3iesF)ro!#ts bra4et.
&er#r' "r#$ a))eare! to ha3e !iso3ere! its o0n >mirale !r#$> /or s#ess.
Princip)l 6u,idi)rie
&er#r' "r#$ %#)erstore.
Princip)l Co/petitor
(alte7C 5.&art 5nternational (or)orationC Phils. (or)orationC Gas' &artC Petron
(or)orationC Phili))ine %e3en (or)orationC Bobinsons (on3eniene %tore 5n.C %eaoil
Phili))ines 5n.C %hell Phili))ines 5n.C Phili))ines (or)oration.
7ey 8)te"
1&1'"
&ariano ,#e be$ins sellin$ s#l/athio-one o#t o/ a art, then o)ens a store in &anila an!
/o#n!s &er#r' "r#$ (or)oration.
1&#$"
&er#r' "r#$ o)ens its seon! store, in a sho))in$ enter b#ilt b' the 1'ala 6ro#).
1&#'"
&er#r' "r#$ o)ens a thir!, /la$shi) branh in ,#ia)o.
1&70"
+he om)an' a2#ires &e!ial (enter "r#$ (or)oration (&("().
1&7%"
&er#r' 6ro#) o/ (om)anies, 5n. is set #) as a hol!in$ om)an' /or &("( an!
&er#r' "r#$.
1&7#"
&er#r' be$ins e7)an!in$ be'on! the &anila mar4et.
1&9'"
+he om)an' sets #) /#ll' om)#teri-e! 0areho#sin$, in3entor', an! or!erin$ s'stems.
1&&'"
&er#r' elebrates its 50th anni3ersar' 0ith more than 270 stores.
%001"
&er#r' o)erates more than 450 stores, 0ith ann#al sales o/ nearl' PHP 43 billion ($8.8
billion).
(urther Re)ding
1nin$, Herome, >(it' Hall (lari/ies &er#r' (ontrat,> %hilippine &aily In'uirer, H#l'
11, 2002.
8alabo, "ino, >Pa$!an$anan <o0s to 8rea4 Ili$o)ol' in Pharma 5n!#str',> !(S)
C(.com , "eember 17, 2004.
9lores, %hirle', >&er#r' "r#$ Eot Plannin$ to :ist in %to4 G7han$e Jet,> Corporate
ews, "eember 7, 1999.
Himine-, (her, >"r#$stores Protest "iso#nts,> !(S)C(.com , Eo3ember 23, 2004.
>&er#r' "r#$ (or)oration Honore! b' the Phili))ines,> Stamps, Eo3ember 11, 1995,
). 13.
>&%", &er#r' Bene0 "eal to 5nrease 1ess to "r#$s,> (usiness World, %e)tember
17, 2003.
Bea! more; htt);FF000.re/erene/orb#siness.omFhistor'F:o.&eF&er#r'."r#$.
(or)oration.htmlKi7--32n%Bae)"
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