Mariano Que

Mariano Que ) Mercury Drug’s

Founder
History
Mercury Drug began from a bottle of
sulfathiazole, which was considered
a wonder drug after the war.
It was 1945, and Manila had just
been liberated from the Japanese
occupation. The city was devastated
and medicines were scarce and
expensive. Mariano Que, who
worked in a drugstore before the
war, saw the need. He went to
Bambang St., Manila, where the
action was then, on advice of a friend, and saw a peddler selling sulfathiazole
there. He recognized it as the 'wonder drug' believed to cure all diseases.
Seeing a 'W' on the tablets, he knew it was the genuine sulfathiazole. He tried to
buy a bottle for P100, the only money in his pocket.
The peddler wanted more but as Mariano Que had only P100, the peddler
agreed to sell to him. He then sold these tablets by piece or “tingi-tingi” to make
the medicine more affordable. With some profit, he was able to purchase other
medicines and eventually a pushcart, which he loaded with his growing supply of
pharmaceutical goods.From these humble beginnings, the first Mercury Drug
store opened on March 1, 1945 in Bambang St.
The company began on March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by
Mariano Que ( April 15, 2017). He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the
gods in Roman Mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as a
symbol of medicine, as well as the first planet in the Solar system. The logo was
designed by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.
The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them
individually; this retail practice is colloquially called tingí-tingî in Filipino It is the
second oldest operating drugstore chain in the country after South Star Drug,
which was established eight years earlier.
Mariano Que ) Mercury Drug’s
Founder
History
Mercury Drug began from a bottle of
sulfathiazole, which was considered
a wonder drug after the war.
It was 1945, and Manila had just
been liberated from the Japanese
occupation. The city was devastated
and medicines were scarce and
expensive. Mariano Que, who
worked in a drugstore before the
war, saw the need. He went to
Bambang St., Manila, where the
action was then, on advice of a friend, and saw a peddler selling sulfathiazole
there. He recognized it as the 'wonder drug' believed to cure all diseases.
Seeing a 'W' on the tablets, he knew it was the genuine sulfathiazole. He tried to
buy a bottle for P100, the only money in his pocket.
The peddler wanted more but as Mariano Que had only P100, the peddler
agreed to sell to him. He then sold these tablets by piece or “tingi-tingi” to make
the medicine more affordable. With some profit, he was able to purchase other
medicines and eventually a pushcart, which he loaded with his growing supply of
pharmaceutical goods.From these humble beginnings, the first Mercury Drug
store opened on March 1, 1945 in Bambang St.
The company began on March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by
Mariano Que ( April 15, 2017). He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the
gods in Roman Mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as a
symbol of medicine, as well as the first planet in the Solar system. The logo was
designed by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.
The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them
individually; this retail practice is colloquially called tingí-tingî in Filipino It is the
second oldest operating drugstore chain in the country after South Star Drug,
which was established eight years earlier.
Mariano Que ) Mercury Drug’s
Founder
History
Mercury Drug began from a bottle of
sulfathiazole, which was considered
a wonder drug after the war.
It was 1945, and Manila had just
been liberated from the Japanese
occupation. The city was devastated
and medicines were scarce and
expensive. Mariano Que, who
worked in a drugstore before the
war, saw the need. He went to
Bambang St., Manila, where the
action was then, on advice of a friend, and saw a peddler selling sulfathiazole
there. He recognized it as the 'wonder drug' believed to cure all diseases.
Seeing a 'W' on the tablets, he knew it was the genuine sulfathiazole. He tried to
buy a bottle for P100, the only money in his pocket.
The peddler wanted more but as Mariano Que had only P100, the peddler
agreed to sell to him. He then sold these tablets by piece or “tingi-tingi” to make
the medicine more affordable. With some profit, he was able to purchase other
medicines and eventually a pushcart, which he loaded with his growing supply of
pharmaceutical goods.From these humble beginnings, the first Mercury Drug
store opened on March 1, 1945 in Bambang St.
The company began on March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by
Mariano Que ( April 15, 2017). He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the
gods in Roman Mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as a
symbol of medicine, as well as the first planet in the Solar system. The logo was
designed by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.
The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them
individually; this retail practice is colloquially called tingí-tingî in Filipino It is the
second oldest operating drugstore chain in the country after South Star Drug,
which was established eight years earlier.
Mariano Que ) Mercury Drug’s
Founder
History
Mercury Drug began from a bottle of
sulfathiazole, which was considered
a wonder drug after the war.
It was 1945, and Manila had just
been liberated from the Japanese
occupation. The city was devastated
and medicines were scarce and
expensive. Mariano Que, who
worked in a drugstore before the
war, saw the need. He went to
Bambang St., Manila, where the
action was then, on advice of a friend, and saw a peddler selling sulfathiazole
there. He recognized it as the 'wonder drug' believed to cure all diseases.
Seeing a 'W' on the tablets, he knew it was the genuine sulfathiazole. He tried to
buy a bottle for P100, the only money in his pocket.
The peddler wanted more but as Mariano Que had only P100, the peddler
agreed to sell to him. He then sold these tablets by piece or “tingi-tingi” to make
the medicine more affordable. With some profit, he was able to purchase other
medicines and eventually a pushcart, which he loaded with his growing supply of
pharmaceutical goods.From these humble beginnings, the first Mercury Drug
store opened on March 1, 1945 in Bambang St.
The company began on March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by
Mariano Que ( April 15, 2017). He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the
gods in Roman Mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as a
symbol of medicine, as well as the first planet in the Solar system. The logo was
designed by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.
The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them
individually; this retail practice is colloquially called tingí-tingî in Filipino It is the
second oldest operating drugstore chain in the country after South Star Drug,
which was established eight years earlier.
Mariano Que ) Mercury Drug’s
Founder
History
Mercury Drug began from a bottle of
sulfathiazole, which was considered
a wonder drug after the war.
It was 1945, and Manila had just
been liberated from the Japanese
occupation. The city was devastated
and medicines were scarce and
expensive. Mariano Que, who
worked in a drugstore before the
war, saw the need. He went to
Bambang St., Manila, where the
action was then, on advice of a friend, and saw a peddler selling sulfathiazole
there. He recognized it as the 'wonder drug' believed to cure all diseases.
Seeing a 'W' on the tablets, he knew it was the genuine sulfathiazole. He tried to
buy a bottle for P100, the only money in his pocket.
The peddler wanted more but as Mariano Que had only P100, the peddler
agreed to sell to him. He then sold these tablets by piece or “tingi-tingi” to make
the medicine more affordable. With some profit, he was able to purchase other
medicines and eventually a pushcart, which he loaded with his growing supply of
pharmaceutical goods.From these humble beginnings, the first Mercury Drug
store opened on March 1, 1945 in Bambang St.
The company began on March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by
Mariano Que ( April 15, 2017). He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the
gods in Roman Mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as a
symbol of medicine, as well as the first planet in the Solar system. The logo was
designed by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.
The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them
individually; this retail practice is colloquially called tingí-tingî in Filipino It is the
second oldest operating drugstore chain in the country after South Star Drug,
which was established eight years earlier.
Mariano Que (14 August 1921 - 14 April 2017) was a Chinese Filipino
businessman best known for being the founder of the pharmacy chain Mercury
Drug. Born in 1921,[2] Que worked as an employee at Farmacia Central, a major
pharmacy owned by Jose Tee Han Kee along Calle Rosario (now Quintin Paredes
Street) in Manila, prior to the onset of World War II. He was orphaned during the
Japanese occupation of the Philippines. After the war ended in 1945, Que bought
₱100-worth of Sulfathiazole pills. He sold these drugs in single doses and using his
savings decided to buy an assortment of medicine which he later peddled through a
pushcart.[5][6] He would eventually find Mercury Drug in Bambang on March 1,
1945. Mercury Drug would open its second store in 1963.[4] In 1972, Mercury
would acquire the Tropical Hut fast-food and supermarket chain. Mercury
expanded outside Metro Manila with the acquisition of Medical Center Drug
Corporation, a medical supplies and equipment manufacturer, in 1976. Que's
daughter Vivian Azcona, would take over Mercury and become company president,
following Que's retirement.

The History Of Mercury Drug Store

Mercury Drug began from a bottle of
sulfathiazole, which was considered a wonder
drug after the war. It was 1945, and Manila had
just been liberated from the Japanese
occupation. The city was devastated, and
medicines were scarce and expensive. Mariano
Que, who worked in a drugstore before the war,
saw the need. He went to Bambang St., Manila,
where the action was then, on advice of a
friend, and saw a peddler selling sulfathiazole
there. He recognized it as the 'wonder drug' believed to cure all diseases. Seeing a
'W' on the tablets, he knew it was the genuine sulfathiazole. He tried to buy a bottle
for P100, the only money in his pocket.
 The peddler wanted more but as Mariano Que had only P100, the peddler agreed
to sell to him. He then sold these tablets by piece or “tingi-tingi” to make the
medicine more affordable. With some profit, he was able to purchase other
medicines and eventually a pushcart, which he loaded with his growing supply of
pharmaceutical goods. From these humble beginnings, the first Mercury Drugstore
opened on March 1, 1945 in Bambang St.
The company began on March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by
Mariano Que ( April 15, 2017). He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the
gods in Roman Mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as symbol of
medicine, as well as the first planet in the Solar system. The logo was designed by
Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.
The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and
selling them individually; this retail practice is colloquially called tingí-tingî in
Filipino It is the second oldest operating drugstore chain in the country after South
Star Drug, which was established eight years earlier.
Upon the invitation of Ayala Corporation, Mercury Drug opened its second branch
in May 1963 at the Corporation's developing commercial center in Makati, now
known as the Ayala Center. In 1965, Mercury Drug established its landmark branch
at Plaza Miranda,Quiapo ,Manila opposite Quiapo Church, which is currently
noted for its large, outdoor Led Screen.
In 2001, then trade secretary Mar Roxas described Mercury drug as a
"near monopoly" and said it has 70 percent share of the domestic market (hence, it
is now facing competition from mentioned-above South Star Drug - which the
latter eventually acquired by Robinsons Retail in 2012 - and Sm-owned Watsons
Philippine franchise).As of 2017, Mercury Drug has reportedly over 1000 branches
across the country .In the early 2010s, it opened a new building, MDC100, located
in Eastwood city, Quezon city.

The Obstacle
He was not born rich like other successful entrepreneurs. Que came
from humble beginnings. As a survivor of World War II, he was orphaned and was
deprived of the chance to study early on.
The Triumphs
Since pharmacies that time hardly sold sulfiathiazole, Que then decided
to invest his P100 to buy the drug and sell these in single doses to reach the
poverty-stricken communities. Selling Sulfathiazole by individual pieces, Que was
able to save enough to open up the first outlet of Mercury Drug in Bambang,
Manila on March 1, 1945

Catalyst of Success Traits

 Modesty
 Headstrong Nature.
 Determined Personality
 Innovator
 A self effacing man who abhorred the limelight
 Self- service Concept in its medical retail store

The founder of Mercury Drug, Mariano Que, was a modest and private
individual who avoided the spotlight. Despite making significant contributions on
the healthcare industry, he preferred working in quiet and allowing his successes
speak for themselves. Que's dedication to excellence and service was evident, yet
he remained modest, embodying humility and integrity throughout his career.
Greatinnovator and entrepreneur whose business practice was marked by humility
(he was) a self-effacing man who abhorred the limelight.”

The Moral Lesson

The story of Mariano Que is a testament to the power of determination,

innovation, and resilience in the face of challenges. Mariano Que's journey from
selling medicines on a pushcart to building a successful pharmaceutical chain
showcases the virtues of hard work, adaptability, and entrepreneurial spirit. His
story serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting the importance
of seizing opportunities, overcoming obstacles, and pursuing one's dreams with
unwavering passion. Mariano Que's success story is a shining example of how
 resilience, resourcefulness, and vision can lead to remarkable achievements in the
face of adversity.
Rubrics:
GROUP 3 Manuel Fernandez Fernandez Delos Rufin
Aldrich Maxine Santos
CONTENT 15 PTS
CREATIVITY 10 PTS
INDIVIDUAL 15 PTS
PERFORMANCE
ABILITY TO 10 PTS
ANSWER QUESTION

PAPER 10 PTS

INSTRUCTION 20 PTS

USE OF ENGLISH 15 PTS

LANGUAGE
PLUS FACTOR 5 PTS

TOTAL: 100 PTS