My brother told me that there's a story behind the Watsons - the pharmacy/beauty supplies store…read morechain that's present in every SM mall - branches in the Philippines. According to him, years ago the young entrepreneur wanted to sell some of his wares inside Mercury Drug outlets but was rejected by the owners. So as his chain of malls grew even bigger than that of the pharmacy chain giant, Mercury was never given space inside the malls. But what would fill up gaping market for a pharmacy inside malls that tout "We got it all for you"? Watsons - a Hong Kong import. It's comparable to CVS, where they sell prescription drugs and general merchandise. PROS: You could see how far they'd like to associate themselves from "old" pharmacies like Mercury. With the bright blue-green theme, and a target market of young consumers, they have more beauty/lifestyle products and even their own generic brand aside from selling meds; Medicines themselves are cheaper by a few pesos; Being situated inside a mall, there's no worry about air conditioning. CONS: The pharmacy usually has a long line, but cash registers are quick so it moves efficiently. TL;DR: Watsons would be my preferred pharmacy, given that it's inside a mall too where I can drop by to get some needed meds while running errands.

I'm always in a hurry because I've got a lot of things to get done within a day, including, buying…read moremy treatment shampoo which could only be found here. I love their buy one take one promo and customers don't have to stand in line for too long. Well organized.

I remember when Med Express first opened on Ortigas Ave. They were the first pharmacy to have a…read moredrive-through available and I thought that was sick... but there was one problem: their prices were markedly higher than Mercury Drug's or even Watson's. This was huge to me considering that Watson's in itself isn't cheap. So I stopped patronizing it despite the super cool drive-thru. Fast forward to a few years later, Med Express had set up shop in The Medical City where I often find myself and surprise surprise, their prices are now at par with Mercury Drug's! Ha. Glad they wizened up. The staff here always has smiles on their faces too, so plus points. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE: They deliver!!!

This is such a great idea that I have to wonder why it isn't the standard. Drive through drug…read morestore. I repeat, DRIVE THROUGH DRUG STORE. No longer do I have to get dressed just to buy some ponstan; I can now get some diatabs while still in a bathrobe. It makes sense, after all. People who have to buy medicine know exactly what they want and how many they want, so there's no point in browsing. Forcing customers to park causes congestion and discourages potential customers when the lot is full. The drive through offers so much more convenience and likely drives up sales. I don't think I'll ever visit another drug store from now on, because this branch is just perfect. Next thing you know, we'll be able to send selfies with our prescriptions and have our pills delivered directly to our homes. Laziness wins again.

Mercury Drug Store along Ortigas Avenue is absolutely the best drug store in town. Not only is it…read morecomplete, with some food items and house items available, but it is also clean, well-lit and organized. I have been to many Mercury Drug Stores around the country and nothing compares to this branch. To top it all off, they have a DRIVE THROUGH window that makes everything even better. It's so convenient for those who can't find parking or for those who know what they want and just don't want to get out of their cars. This is definitely my favorite pharmacy in the Metro!

I bet many of us do not know that this is the original Mercury Drug store…read more The biggest pharmacy chain in the country started in this very spot. The reason I know this is my mom and her siblings used to "ration" meaning deliver food orders to the store when they were kids. My maternal grandma used to run a small panciteria along Bambang, walking distance from this store. Mom would recount how the pharmacy used to have a dispensing machine for Magnolia chocolait, and the owners would treat them to an endless supply, as much as they could consume, whenever they delivered food. Every day after school back when I was in elementary, I would walk from school to the panciteria, and would pass by Mercury Drug. At that time, we don't have any relationship with the owners anymore, because they've since become a chain operation. But it's nice to learn about this small bit of history. The neighborhood connections that tell a part of the story of the beginning of Mercury Drug.

If you're like me, an internet habitué who's online until the wee hours, there comes a time when…read moreyou have cravings for the two main types of carbs: carbohydrates and carbonateds. Haha. And if you balk at the prospect of paying ubiquitously high prices of other 24-hour convenience stores, look no further than going to South Star Drug. Yes, it's funny that a drugstore stocks almost all manner of stuff you'd find in a grocery, but it is nonetheless welcome and convenient. Add to the fact that the prices of their goods don't have that 24-hour operational markup, so here, you're golden. There's no frozen food section here, unless you count ice cream tubs, cones, popsicles, and all sorts of sweet frozen goodness. The best part is that if you overeat, there's always a helpful staffer to give you an antacid. Waitaminnit, this IS after all, a drugstore, so South Star Drug of course fulfills that role, albeit it's really a drugstore with food and hygiene products as a "by-the-way" kind of offering. As small as this store may seem, you'll likely find all sorts of over-the-counter prescription drug you may need, whether branded or generic. I've actually bought my Dad's blood pressure maintenance meds, and some prescribed antibiotics here with no hassles. They're well-stocked with the drugs you need, and the food you might like (and NOT recommended by your doctor. I wonder if all this was done on purpose...?) From softdrinks to hard candies, prophylactics to antacids, canned goods to cookies, shampoo to soap, South Star Drug will likely have it, and will sell it around-the-clock.