There are a number of pharmacies in the Market! Market! area, but I still go to Metro Pharmacy…read morelocated in front of Metro Supermarket at the lower ground floor of the mall. Why? Because there's usually less people and no long queues of customers there. A big area of the pharmacy is allocated for non-prescription health and wellness section which sells vitamin supplements, protein shakes, and other herbal remedies. This is also where you can get over-the-counter medications, personal hygiene products, and even special haircare items. I like the fact that this pharmacy is quite strict with prescription medication. The pharmacists at the enclosed counter ask for prescription, dosage, and other important details to make sure that they dispense the right medication. They also suggest generic alternatives in case you are interested in saving money. Since the pharmacy is under Metro Gaisano, you can also get rewards for your purchases if you have a Metro Rewards card. This pharmacy is open daily during mall hours.

The location couldn't be more perfect as it is right across St. Luke's. It's also walking distance…read morefrom a Starbucks. While there are lots of parking spaces surrounding the building, it's often full. The security guards however are very helpful when it comes to helping you park, and if you only mean to pick up a prescription or make a quick stop, they will allow you to put your car on hazards wherever there's space in the parking lot. It's one of the bigger Mercury Drugs, and I appreciate that because they're better stocked than other branches or pharmacies. The pharmacy counter is lengthy, allowing for several cashiers and faster service. I also like the pharmacists because they're pretty helpful, especially when they have the place isn't so packed and they actually have the time to spend on you. They will suggest alternatives for out-of-stock brands and will even tell you which is cheaper. They're open twenty-four hours, which is excellent for emergency late night runs. I purchase most of mine and my grandmother's meds here. It's not the closest Mercury Drug to my house, but it is the most efficient and convenient. Here's one thing most people don't know about the Mercury Drug card though: points expire every six months! So remember to use your points whenever you can. They don't tell you this unless you ask (pretty shady business practice if you ask me, but there it is).

Mercury Drug isn't the Generics Pharmacy, but the fact remains that I have a boatload of respect…read morefor them because they have the most affordable medicines and essential products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, tissue and the like in comparison to other drugstores like Watson's or what have you. I've come here more times than I care to remember for when I've needed to purchase cough medicine, cold medicine, antibiotics, allergy medicine, and more. This is also my go-to place for mouthwash, dental floss, tissue, hand sanitizer, and more. Invest in a suki card in order to earn points and shave a few pesos off of your next purchase.

I ran out of Meclizine for my travel back to the US. I had a long travel day ahead of me with an 11…read morehour layover in Korea, so I needed to get some pills. Luckily this Watsons was only a 2 minute walk from The Belmont Hotel. I headed to the counter and got my pills! This is a good sized Watsons. They have a nice section for personal care and beauty products. It looks fairly new so it was really nice and clean. As in most pharmacies or drugstore in the Philippines, you have to go to the counter and ask for the drugs you need from the clerk, even for OTC meds. They disburse them by the pill, so make sure you tell them how many pills you need.

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 branch sometimes sells epilators! And if they have it, you buy it (or tell a friend who's been…read morelooking for it for a long time)! I usually come here to buy wax strips because they have different kinds for different purposes. So I come here for wax strips and leave with a million other items that I may or may not really need. See, the store is packed with all sorts of soaps, shampoos, make up, lotions, conditioners and the list goes on. Ah yes, you can also buy medicines here. Going back to the epilators, yes, they sell them. They also have hairdriers, hair straighteners, curlers, toothbrushes that run on batteries and those foot spa machines that make your feet feel so papered and loved. The price of their items? It will fit in your budget. You won't have to rob a bank or go hungry to buy what you want here.

For all my personal care needs, I go to the Watson's branch in Greenbelt 1, Makati. Filled to the…read morebrim with all sorts of shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, lotions, toothpastes and whichever else you might need to help you preen and primp, Watson's is definitely a goldmine for the kikay girl (or even guy) in each one of us. It's also worthy to note that Watson's also carries personal care appliances such as blow-driers, hair-straighteners and curlers to name a few. They've also got on-hand sales associates who can show you the proper ways of using these appliances (plus tips and tricks). Another helpful tip is to take note of discounts or promos that are offered in the store all year round. Aside from the usual personal care needs, Watson's also has an in-house pharmacy, making it the ultimate in one-stop shop wonders.

Nice little corner pharmacy were i needed to go because i had a very bad cold…read more The pharmacist was full of suggestions for decongestant and lozenges for my throat. Also you can buy distilled water and other items you usually find in a pharmacy.

Guadalupe Nuevo is one of the busiest MRT and bus stops along the northbound lane of Edsa. People…read morewho live in nearby barangays, such as Pinagkaisahan, Pitogo and Cembo, usually pass this area on their way to and from work. Thus, it's not surprising that there are a lot of establishments in the vicinity that are open 24 hours. One such place is the JK Humanbond Mart and Pharmacy, located at the ground floor of Hotel Sogo Guadalupe. It is open 24/7. I usually stop by the mart to buy water or candies before riding the bus plying along Edsa. The store isn't big, but they sell necessities like bottled water, food items, and toiletries. Since it's also a pharmacy, you can buy medicines here. But I noticed their stocks are mostly limited to over-the-counter and commonly prescribed medications. There are parking slots for about three cars in front of the establishment but since Magsaysay Avenue is a busy and narrow street, getting in and out of the parking slot may be a challenge especially during rush hours.

My area is one of the busiest but most convenient places in the Metro. I'm actually lucky to be…read moreliving here. The traffic of potential market for most businesses is incredible, and it's literally a street that never sleeps. (Right now, there are still tawaran sessions happening at the market downstairs at 1 AM, get a load of that!) And one of the places that literally never sleeps is this JK Pharmacy store which I still refer to as "K2 Drug". (Self, get on with the times, will ya?) That used to be its name, actually. I don't know what happened. It was renovated and stuff, etc. and re-opened as JK Mart. ANYWAY, I love that this place is so near. When my cats get sick, I just do a cartwheel and I have a bottle of Amoxicillin drops ready to save their lives. I can even get away without prescription (Well, I ask my vet friends and they tell me to go buy whatever through phone. Ain't nobody got time for prescriptions!) I just tell JK Mart I need this for my cats, and viola. I have the drugs. I don't really know if that's good or bad, or am I just an exception because they know me or something, though... They are forever open, so I go here for midnight snacks and emergency Yakisoba (Spicy Chicken) hoarding sprees. They're a hybrid of convenience store and infant/pedia/generics shops that it's provided Guadalupians a place to run to late at night for (hopefully) not too grave necessary medicine buys. Let's face it, even if another nearby similar store, Mercury Drug towards Edsa has a lot more to offer, it just takes ten thousand years! (And it has never changed for the 20 years I've been going there, really). I love this place, and I give it five stars because it's awesome.

Every time the doctors tell me or my parents to buy new medicines, they tell us to go to this…read moreMercury Drug. It's big. It's complete. And supposedly their service is fast. Yes, the place is big. It's more than one floor and there's an elevator inside so you don't have to walk up. Yes, it is somewhat complete. You can buy all sorts of food, drinks and snacks in this place. They've got make-up and all sorts of lotions and soaps. Then, there's a pharmacy. Let's just say that on some days their service is fast and on other days it takes some time for them to help you. There are two lines for the senior citizens and PWDs. This is very good. The staff on the floor are really helpful. I think I looked a bit lost earlier while searching for compression stockings, but one of the staff assisted me right away. She also gave me plenty options and didn't just force me to buy the brand she was pushing for. Okay, I'm not sure if they don't allow people to take pictures inside the store. I don't recall seeing any signs telling me not to take pictures. So, I was a bit surprised when the guard came running at me and told me to put my camera (my phone) away. Scary. But, this incident won't stop me from going back to Mercury Drug.