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.

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!