Rx: Living healthier without spending more

Mercury Drug has been a fixture in the Philippine pharmaceutical industry these past many decades. You and I probably grew up with it. I remember as a kid, whenever I or my siblings suddenly got sick, my mother or father would make a dash for the nearest Mercury Drug in our neighborhood. It was an indispensable part of our lives.

It’s a Filipino success story — the story of one man, Mariano Que, who has discovered the miracle drug for success. And to think it all started from a pushcart selling pills in single doses (tingi-tingi). In 1945, Que opened his first drugstore in Bambang, which he named Mercury Drug after the Roman god, seen in its familiar signage bearing the caduceus, symbol of the medical profession. In 1963, Mercury Drug opened the country’s first self-service pharmacy. In 1967, it opened a centralized warehouse with computer-guided temperature controls to safeguard its products. It was the first to introduce biological refrigerators in its stores to assure the quality of its life-saving medicines. Through the years, it has established a reputation for quality and freshness of products. There’s truth to its slogan “Nakakasiguro ka gamot ay laging bago.”

In 1976, Mercury Drug expanded beyond its Metro Manila market, branching out to additional locations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Through the ages, Mercury Drug has grown and grown. Today, it is not just a drugstore selling over-the-counter and prescription drugs, pharmaceutical supplies, medical equipment, and surgical instruments but also a lifestyle store selling personal care items, basic household needs, cosmetics/beauty products, and fast-food items.

And now, Mercury Drug offers more to its valued customers via the Mercury Drug Citi Visa.

With the many credit card choices available on the market today, why should you opt for a Mercury Drug Citi Visa?

Lalaine Juan, AVP for cards business, Citibank Phils., tells us, “Mercury Drug Citi Visa is the only credit card on the market that offers savings when you buy medicines. Our cardholders earn generous rebates for all their purchases in Mercury Drug stores, which can be found nationwide. As medicines, vitamin supplements, and other health products are a staple for nearly every consumer, our credit card is very relevant.”

She’s quick to add, “What’s more, we also offer rebates on all other purchases made with the card, to ensure that our cardholders are rewarded for all their spending. Designed to be a health and wellness card, the Mercury Drug Citi Visa offers other complementary benefits — from free annual checkups to complimentary personal accident insurance, even free membership to Emergency Quick Response. Plus, we leverage on our business partnerships to give our cardholders discounts in hospitals, clinics, gyms, spas, and other health and medical products.”

She stoutly sums it up, “Our proposition is that we can live healthier without spending more.”

The most compelling of the Mercury Drug Citi card offers is the 2% rebate that cardholders can earn. And not only is this a generous rebate offer, redemption is also very convenient. “All your rebates are automatically credited to your billing statement,” Lalaine points out.

Truly, the Mercury Drug Citi Visa is a value-laden card that gives families and health-conscious individuals many benefits. To name but a few:

• 2% rebate on all Mercury Drug purchases.

• 0.5% rebate on all other purchases.

• Free annual physical exam package.

• Waived joining fee and up to 25% discount on Fitness First monthly dues.

• 75% discount on membership rate with Lifeline Rescue for Emergency Quick Response.

Paying with a Mercury Drug Citi Visa also entitles cardholders to assorted discounts at these partner establishments:

• Hospitals and medical clinics — Clinica Manila, Healthway Medical, Clinilab Medical Services, Med Central, Perpetual Succour Hospital, Cebu Doctors’ Hospital, North General Hospital, General Santos Doctors’ Hospital, The Medical City, and Dr. Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center.

• Medical services — American Eye Center, Asian Eye Institute, Asian Renal Care, Lifeline Arrows, Manila Hearing Aid, and Sarabia.

• Beauty and wellness — Beverly Hills 6750, Clarity, Dermaline, Fitness First, Body Care, Body and Face by Mendez and Weighless Center by Mendez.

In addition, Citi constantly revisits its benefits for cardholders. Lalaine explains, “As consumers become more conscious of the rewards of caring for their health, more and more hospitals, clinics, and health spas are opening up and expanding their services. We constantly scan the market to make sure that our card has the best partners on board, offering exclusive and exciting privileges to our cardholders.”

And how are these spas, clinics, gyms, etc. chosen to sign up as partners for the Mercury Drug Citi special privileges?

Says Lina Bobadilla, Mercury Drug AVP for Metro Manila chainstore operations, “We look at the health establishments that our customers frequent, as well as those that are highly demanded by potential customers. Mercury Drug’s pharmacy assistants and sales agents also give us feedback.”

Meanwhile, Mercury Drug Citi Visa continues to dominate the health and wellness category for credit cards. So, what else can cardholders expect from Citi?

“We definitely want to keep that leading position,” declares Lalaine. “Credit cards have become indispensable for the modern-day consumer. This card addresses the needs of a particular market — cardholders who are taking care of their health and seek rewards for their health-related spending. We just concluded a promotion where, to mark the card’s third year, we gave 3% rebates on Mercury Drug spending, instead of the regular 2%. More exciting promotions are coming their way.”

And what else can its legion of customers expect from Mercury Drug?

“As for Mercury Drug, we will be opening more branches with self-service that are accessible to our customers, and coming out with new products and services, exciting promotions,” says Lina. “We just launched a new magazine Enrich that is exclusively distributed by Mercury Drug Corp. This magazine will cover almost everything on healthy lifestyle and living, travel destinations, and other highly informative materials. It also comes with discount coupons and product inserts to give value to readers.”

Now, can you think of a healthier card to own?

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We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com.