Successful Entrepreneur in the

Philippines

When Filipinos need medication, a couple of names usually come up: Generika, The
Generics Pharmacy, Watson's, and the most well-known of them all, Mercury Drug.

Mercury Drug has been synonymous with quality pharmaceuticals and it owes it's success
to one man who recently left us; its founder, the late Mariano Que.

HE WILL BE MISSED. Mariano Que, the founder of Mercury Drug passed away last April
15, 2017 at the age of 96.

His company may not have been the first drugstore in the country, but his pioneering spirit
behind the pharmaceutical retail industry paved the way for all the rest that followed.

It all began with P100 and a bottle of Sulfathiazole.

P100. That was all Mariano Que had in his pocket after World War II. An employee of a
drugstore prior to the war, Que knew that Filipinos would need the "miracle" drug
Sulfathiazole, believed to cure many (if not all) sorts of diseases and illnesses.

He saw an opportunity to help his countrymen by buying the bottle from a peddler in
Bambang St. He then sold this tablets (which he know was genuine sulfathiazole thanks to
"W" on the tablets) per piece to make it more affordable. After making a profit, he was able
to purchase other medicines and a pushcart so he can sell his medicine to the public.

He continued selling medicines off of his pushcart until he was able to save enough to put up
the first Mercury Drug store on March 1 along Bambang St.

More than 70 years later, Mercury Drug is still at the forefront of Philippine pharmaceutical
services, with over 1,000 stores nationwide. It's also the first to use a central computerized
and temperature-controlled warehouse, 24-hour service and a pharmacy counseling.

More than just a businessman

Que proved to be more than just an enterprising businessman. He founded the Mercury
Drug Foundation (MDF) as a way of giving back to Filipinos for their support throughout
the company's 70-year existence.

Today, MDF helps Filipinos across the country mainly through this programs:
 Operation Bigay Lunas - free medical services and medicines to undeserved
 communities.
 Operation Pa-Tubig - access to water for marginalized waterless communities
nationwide, done in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress.
 Bantay Kalusugan - free health profiling, screening , counseling and education
activities for non-communicable diseases.

Mariano Que , Doctor of Humanities. He was also conferred an honorary doctor of

humanities degree by the University of Sto. Tomas College of Medicine for his pioneering
spirit behind the pharmaceutical retail industry and his advocacy for affordable medicine
and assistance to the needy.

Apart from the honorary degree, he has also received a lot of awards , including :

 President's Award: Plaque of Merit, Most Prestigious Drug Manufacturer and

Distinguished Civic Leader in 1973.
 Award of Distinction by the Philippine Chamber of Health and Pharmaceutical and
Non-Pharmaceutical Industry in 1986.
 Father of Philippine Health and Wellness Retailing by the Philippine Retailers
Association in 2012.

So , where can your P100 take you?