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!!!

The all-around drugstore in the Katipunan area, across from Miriam College. It is in the same…read morebuilding as Gino's Brick Oven Pizza, and next to several banks, so this is a good pitstop for errands. They've adopted a new call-out numbering system, but I'm not sure how well it works, since people still lean onto the counter the old way. I'd love to see them, space permitting, to adopt the system in the US which gives customers more privacy when placing their orders. Otherwise, the staff are very friendly and helpful, though you must be proactive about asking for the generic/less expensive version of a drug you're seeking, or they might give you a premium refill. It is as good a stop for snacks and pre-travel items like major brand convenience stores, and then some. You get off-the-shelf drugs, cosmetics and toiletries, and a very good selection of cold drinks. They take forever to write out official receipts, but they are helpful with senior citizen drug orders, which they take by phone, and you can pick up later in the day. Anyone, by the way, can take advantage of the pre-order system.

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.