Vivian Que-Azcona – from Mercury Drug Corp. Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines —When Vivian Que Azcona followed in her father’s footsteps and rose through the ranks to lead the country’s biggest drugstore chain, it was not a simple journey.
The long-time president of Mercury Drug began her career in 1977 as a staff assistant under the mentorship of her father, founder Mariano Que. The family patriarch passed away in 2017.
The patriarch, who started Mercury Drug with only P100 during the tail-end of World War II, grew the company from its first branch along Bambang Street, Manila, in March 1945 to the drugstore giant that it is today.
Now, it has more than 1,200 branches across the country with at least 15,000 employees.
In her 2021 biography for the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards, Azcona was said to be given “no special treatment” while training at Mercury Drug.
She trained and rose the ranks from assistant general manager in 1980 to vice president and general manager in 1984.
It was only in 1998 that she became Mercury Drug’s president — a position she held for nearly three decades until her passing on April 5, 2025.
Under her leadership, Mercury Drug launched several long-standing projects. These include the coveted Suki Card, the company’s loyalty program that rewards customers with points.
Azcona also led the launch of Mercury Drug Citi Card, the country’s first health credit card. There was also Gamot Padala, a medicine delivery and pickup system that improved overall accessibility.
Education advocacy
Although largely elusive to the media, Azcona was well-known in the industry not just for being a visionary leader of Mercury Drug, but also as a staunch education advocate.
The University of Santo Tomas (UST), from which she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, highlighted her support for its students.
Throughout the decades the company provided scholarship grants, on-the-job training agreements, and an experiential learning laboratory.
“Mercury Drug has provided a home to many fellow Thomasians of the Que family as our alumni have joined the company in various capacities,” UST said in its tribute to Azcona.
Our Lady of Fatima University Antipolo also recognized Azcona’s role in maintaining a long-standing partnership with the school’s College of Pharmacy through internship opportunities and employment.
The Unilab Group, a brand that Mercury Drug has been carrying for the past 80 years, called Azcona a “visionary leader and dedicated partner who has left an indelible mark” on her company, the healthcare industry and the country.
“Que-Azcona lived with purpose and passion, ensuring only the best healthcare is accessible to Filipinos,” Unilab said in a statement on Facebook.
