Where to Buy Drugs in the Philippines?

Need to score some aspirin? Ibuprofen? Where can I get Drugs in Manila when I'm a foreigner new to the city?

Mercury Drugstore is a nationwide well-known pharmacy empire in the Philippines. They have stores in every Philippine city and major hospitals.

The pharmacy is also a convenience store which sells junk food, beverages, breads, candy, personal grooming items and toiletries.



This is their trademark logo, the Roman God Mercury carrying his staff with the two entwined snakes, a symbol widely used in the medical field. Underneath written in Tagalog are the words "Nakakasiguro ang gamot ay laging bago" which translates "Our Medicine is always brand new" or "Our Drugs are always Fresh". Its just a guarantee they won't sell you expired stuff.

Mercury Drugstore is the prime drugstore for patients in need of specialized and regulated medications. Just present your doctor's RX or Doctor's orders with the proper dosages stated at the counter. They also honor Senior Citizen discounts.



The following branches of Mercury Drugstores are open 24 hours:

People Support Center Makati Branch
(next to Makati Medical Center)
People Support Center Amorsolo Street, Makati City 1229 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 889--7820 / (02) 889--7821

Makati Evangelista Branch
# 1650 Evangelista corner Belarmino St. Makati City 1233 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 750--1646 / (02) 889--0236
A block away from EDSA in Evangelista Street, in front of ChowKing

Park Square One, Ayala Center
Quad carpark buidling. San Lorenzo, Makati City 1200 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 815--4846
This is the mall at the back of Glorietta and SM Makati

Makati Guadalupe Branch
Guadalupe Comercial Complex 8124 Sgt. F. Yabut Circle
Makati City 1200, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 882--1429

Sampaloc Espana Branch
corner Espana Metrica Streets, Manila 1008, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 740--7594 / (02) 742--8358 / (02) 781--2235

Quiapo-Plaza Miranda Branch
The Mercury Drug Billboard infront of Quiapo Church, Manila 1001 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 733--6630 / (02) 734--9314

Manila Gagalangin, Juan Luna Branch
(Tondo Area)
#2668 Juan Luna Street, Manila 1012 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 251--5650

Ermita Taft PGH Branch
#1332 Taft Avenue in front Philippine General Hospital,
Ermita, Manila 1000 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 523--2699 / (02) 536--0345

Blumentritt- Avenida Branch
#2414 Rizal Avenue Manila 1003 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 252--5836 / (02) 252--5837

Pasig City Meralco Commercial Strip
The Strip Commercial Complex Meralco Compund,
Ortigas Avenue, Pasig 1605 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 634--1728 / (02) 636--3525

Cubao-Pinatubo
Aurora Boulevard corner Pinatubo Street,
Quezon City, 1111 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 726--1746 / (02) 727--3027 / ( ) - / ( ) -

Edsa Balintawak
1142 Edsa Balintawak Quezon City 1106 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 362--4048 / (02) 362--4049

Citimall Diliman
#1 Ultimate Plaza Commonwealth Avenue,
Quezon City 1104, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 435--4335 / (02) 92-4-8587 / (02) 92-4-8638

Manadaluyong EDSA Libertad
EDSA corner Libertad street, Mandaluyong 1501 Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 531--0877 / (02) 531--0878

Going to the Emergency Room of a Philippine Hospital

A lot of people I know dread hospitals or doctor visits! Even if they have an HMO card or a FREE health care plan from their companies, I just realized most don't really know what to do when they get to the hospital. OR they don't know when they should go to the hospital for emergency care unless they finally pass out!

Would you like to find yourself fainting in a public place at the mercy of strangers?

I guess not.

So for those proud enough to say I've never spent a day in a hospital since the day I was born- Do you know what they do to patients when they get to the ER?

or do you know what to do when you need to take someone you love to the ER

If your conscious, not bleeding or not critical case in any way - Upon arrival, a nurse or doctor on duty will talk to you, ask you questions - like what's wrong? where it hurts? what you ate the last few hours? if you're allergic to anything? diseases you have? A quick tour of your medical history.

The nurse will then get your blood pressure and do some quick check-ups. She will note all that on a clip board. She will make you sign some papers or who ever you're with (like a relative) who is of sound mind to sign these papers for you.

If you can't do any of these, they'll immediatedly transfer you to the ward via gurney or wheelchair to see the resident doctor on duty. Afterwards, maybe what you do fear most starts- the needles and all that poking.

But most of the time they just give you medicine, make you sleep there until you feel alright enough to go home. They will give you medical orders btw like what treatment to take and what specialist to see if they find anything wrong with you. You only get confined to the hospital if you're unfit to go home and you have to sign yourself in. They will explain all the details why you need to stay usually for a battery of tests or an emergency procedure.

If you are unconscious, dying, unable to speak - they will notify whoever's contact details they find on your wallet or cell phone. If you have no identification on you, they will ask the police for identity assistance or they will make public announcements through news bureaus like AM radio stations. If you are a foreigner, they will contact the embassies.

Don't hesitate to go to the ER if you're blacking out, your chest hurts and you can't breathe. Listen to your body, the gut feel is there when you know something bad is going down. Bad like your body parts are going numb, you can't feel your arm, fingers are tingling, your stomach hurts or there's sharp stabbing pain somewhere.

ER doctors will ask about your pain. They will ask you to measure it on a scale between 1-10. Stop tolerating the pain and listen to your body, if you think its an 8or a 10! then head for the ER!

How much will this cost? Bring money if you don't have HMO. If its a public hospital, you need a basic P800-P1,500. If its a private hospital, Makati Med or Medical City bring a basic of P2,500-P5,000. The bill will be based on the doctor's fee, the kind of tests and drugs administered to you at the ER.