When I first moved to Manila to study in Benilde, there was only one pharmacy in the entire Vito…read moreCruz-Taft area, which was a surprise since there were three schools here. You would think that these kids would need medicine sooner or later, even if it's just to stop the nosebleeds from all the math we were being forced to endure. Today, there are two generic pharmacies, one Mercury Drug, and a bunch of other tiny medicine peddlers sprouting like mushrooms. But a few years ago, there was only one: United Pharmacy. And it was no spring chicken either. It was already old when I first walked into its doors, and now it looks downright ancient. It used to be like a 7-11 with pharmacists, but now the A/C unit isn't working, the ice cream freezers are empty, and the staff always look sweaty and haggard. But they're an institution, and should be respected as such.

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!!!

I get vertigo every so often when I lack sleep or I'm sick or when the weather changes, and though…read moreit's not debilitating, it's uncomfortable. I try to hold out on drinking medication since it doesn't really cure anything and just relieves me of the dizziness, but sometimes I have to buckle and drink something. Problem is that the pills I take are a little pricey, so I feel like just rolling with the punches even more. That was until I found Generics, that is. The anti-vertigo stuff they have is cheaper enough that I don't feel like I'm just spending so much on just being able to walk around the house without the world tilting everywhere. What's more is that the Generics in the Arayat area is pretty close by, so if I need to go out but still need a temporary reprieve from my sensitive inner ear, I just drop by their little drugstore in the area. They don't get that many customers so it's always a quick transaction, and off I go into a vertigo-less world.

Whenever I need something, I would go to Watsons first because it doesn't get too crowded unless…read moreit's one of those days where there's really too much people in the mall and you can bet they'll be needing something from Watsons too. And I can get in and out quickly because their cashiers are fast! I started out with going to Watsons just for my personal needs and if I'm too lazy to go around the grocery to find it. But now I've moved on to buying medicine supplies from there. They might not have everything I need yet but I'm sure they're on their way. Another thing I like about Watsons is they have a lot of products on hand like different brands of make-up, facial and skin care things. And just random interesting things that would make you want to buy. They also have a lot of things on promos and things that have discounts.

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.