The six biggest pharmacy chains in the Philippines

These chains lead the pack in number of stores nationwide.

The Philippine drugstore business brings together homegrown brands built over decades and an international retailer that has become a familiar name to Filipino shoppers.

The Generics Pharmacy (TGP) leads this lineup with 2,154 stores nationwide. Watsons Philippines and Mercury Drug both have more than 1,200 locations. Generika Drugstore, Southstar Drug, and Rose Pharmacy have also built extensive networks serving communities across the country.

Five of the six brands are homegrown Philippine pharmacy businesses. TGP, Southstar Drug, and Rose Pharmacy belong to Robinsons Retail Holdings, part of the Gokongwei Group, while Generika is under Ayala Group’s AC Health.

Mercury Drug remains a privately held Philippine business. Watsons, meanwhile, is part of Hong Kong-based A.S. Watson Group and entered the Philippine market through its partnership with SM.

Their business models also differ. TGP’s franchise network has helped it expand into neighborhoods nationwide, while the other chains combine their store networks with a range of medicines, personal care products, and healthcare essentials.

Store count offers one measure of their reach, although it doesn’t tell the whole story of the pharmacy market or establish which chain generates the most sales.

The Generics Pharmacy (TGP)

2,154 stores nationwide

The Generics Pharmacy (TGP) has built the country’s largest community drugstore network, with 2,154 stores, according to Robinsons Retail Holdings. Its roots go back to 1983, when founder Benjamin Liuson focused on wholesale distribution of generic medicines. TGP entered retail in 2001 and began franchising in 2007, allowing entrepreneurs to open neighborhood drugstores.

Robinsons Retail acquired a controlling 51% stake in TGP in 2016. Its franchise-led model has helped the brand expand across the country, offering Filipinos access to generic medicines and healthcare products.

Watsons Philippines

1,229 stores nationwide

Watsons is part of Hong Kong-based A.S. Watson Group, an international health and beauty retailer under CK Hutchison Holdings. The brand entered the Philippine market in 2002 through a partnership with SM, growing into a familiar destination for medicines, personal care products, beauty essentials, and wellness items.

Watsons Philippines reported more than 1,229 stores as of December 2025, while its online store locator lists 1,296 locations. Its combination of pharmacy services and health, beauty, and personal care retail gives it a broader product mix than a traditional drugstore.

Mercury Drug

1,200+ stores nationwide

Mariano Que founded Mercury Drug in Manila in 1945, starting a business that would grow into one of the country’s most familiar pharmacy brands. The company now operates more than 1,200 stores nationwide, offering branded and generic medicines, medical devices, personal care products, and everyday essentials.

Unlike the other chains in this roundup, Mercury Drug is privately held under the Mercury Group of Companies. Its extensive store network and broad product range have helped it serve customers looking for prescription medicines, over-the-counter remedies, and other healthcare needs.

Generika Drugstore

750+ stores nationwide

Founded in 2003, Generika Drugstore built its business around making generic medicines more accessible to Filipino consumers. The chain opened its first store in Muntinlupa City in 2004 and has since expanded to more than 750 stores nationwide. Its services include free blood pressure monitoring and access to selected basic healthcare and diagnostic services.

Generika became part of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, now known as AC Health, after the group acquired a 50% stake in 2015. Its place in Ayala’s healthcare portfolio connects the drugstore business with a wider network of healthcare services.

Southstar Drug

716 stores nationwide

Southstar Drug began in Naga City in 1937 as a small business selling Chinese herbal medicines. Founded by the Dy family, it later expanded its product range to include Western medicines before growing beyond the Bicol region.

Robinsons Retail Holdings acquired a 90% stake in Southstar Drug in 2012. The chain had 716 stores at the end of 2025, according to the group’s full-year earnings presentation. Its stores offer prescription and over-the-counter medicines, along with personal care, food, and health and wellness products.

Rose Pharmacy

457 stores nationwide

Rose Pharmacy was established in Cebu in 1952 by the Lim family. It grew into a major drugstore chain, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao, offering prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

Robinsons Retail Holdings acquired 100% of Rose Pharmacy in 2020. The chain had 457 stores at the end of 2025, according to the group’s full-year earnings presentation. Rose Pharmacy also offers its own line of generic medicines and is the exclusive distributor of Guardian personal care products.

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