Generika strengthens market presence; offers more than just generics

Generika Drugstore, a pioneer in the retail distribution of quality generic medicines in the country, is strengthening its market presence this year through store expansion and brand-building activities.

Founded in 2003, the Generika Drugstore chain aims to provide for the health care needs of Filipino families by offering affordable but quality products with superior customer service.

Affordable Quality
Generika Drugstore not only offers generic medicines as a value-for-money alternative to branded products. It also ensures that consumers get quality medicines that carry the same active ingredients and are as beneficial as branded products.

Generika Drugstore has strong internal standards for screening and monitoring the quality of medicines offered in its drugstores. It carries only BFAD-approved products and verifies that its suppliers comply with good manufacturing practices.

Since temperature and other storage conditions may affect the efficacy of medicines, Generika Drugstore warehouses and stores are air-conditioned to maintain drug potency.

Affordable quality, not lowest price is the Generika Drugstore mission.

Professional Service
Distinguishing it above other neighborhood boticas is the superior level of service offered by Generika Drugstore. In-store personnel are trained to offer professional counseling to customers, giving them advice on how to use drugs safely and effectively.

All Generika Drugstore outlets offer free blood pressure monitoring, while blood sugar screening (FBS/RBS) as well as cholesterol screening can be availed for a very minimal fee. Generika Drugstore conducts Libreng Konsulta, Libreng Bunot days as part of its outreach program, while generic awareness presentations are held to educate senior citizens and other groups about generic drugs.

All stores are fully computerized and use a powerful and user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) application that was developed in-house and continues to be enhanced for the benefit of franchisees and their customers.

Beyond Generics
In addition to quality generic medicines, Generika Drugstore also carries branded medicines, medical supplies, galenicals (or herbal formulations), and selected consumer goods — all at very competitive prices. Thus, Generika Drugstore offers a wider product selection and are more complete drugstores compared to similar small outlets.

For added customer convenience, selected Generika Drugstore outlets offer free delivery service for a minimum P300 purchase of generics.

Filipino Entrepreneurship
Starting out with a single outlet in Alabang in 2004, Generika Drugstore expanded to 16 company-owned stores strategic locations in Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna by 2008.

Building on the success of their business model, Generika opened up franchising opportunities to Filipino entrepreneurs in May 2008. Generika now has 170 operational soon-to-open stores all over the country. Many franchise applications are being processed and more locations will be opened as the company is geared to expand more aggressively in the coming months and years.

Its goal is to become the leading national drugstore chain that performs a vital service to the community by providing access to affordable, quality medicines as well as superior service driven by a strong sense of social purpose.

Multi-Awarded Drugstore Chain
Generika Drugstore was the national winner in the drugstore chain category of the DSAP (Drugstore Association of the Philippines) Quality Award in 2008. In 2009, the BFAD (Bureau of Food & Drugs) Quality Seal Award was granted to five Generika Drugstore branches, while the Generika-Soledad branch was named overall winner for the drugstore chain category.

Entrepreneur Magazine recognized Generika Drugstore with the Best in Franchise Support and Most Promising Franchise in 2009. In 2008, it named Generika Drugstore president Teodoro L. Ferrer as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Entrepreneurs. Mr. Teodoro was also one of the finalists in the prestigious Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year-Philippines 2010.

Everyone’s Vision Petron: Lakbay Pinoy

Petron Student Art Competition now open for entries
Everyone’s Vision Petron is an exhibition and competition for all young and budding artists. Themed Lakbay Pinoy —Journeys to Remember, Pathways to Rediscover, this year’s competition focuses on life journeys expressed symbolically by roads, highways and byways. It can be a mountain path representing a journey to success, or a zigzag lane symbolizing seasons of change. It can be a forest trail sparking childhood memories, or a nostalgic route conjuring reminiscences of student life.

Petron believes that everyone has his/her own unique perspective on things and that this uniqueness can be expressed in so many different ways. This is the inspiration behind Everyone’s Vision Petron — the belief that free artistic expression remains intrinsic to nation-building.

Everyone’s Vision Petron is open to all talented students enrolled in a regular university or college course, or in tutorial and photography classes. Student artists may compete in three categories: Painting (oil and water-based media), photography, and t-shirt design.

In the painting category, six Grand Prize winners will each receive P50,000; for the colored photography category, six Grand Prize winners will each receive P30,000; and in the t-shirt design category, three Grand Prize winners will each receive P30,000. All winners will also receive a trophy/plaque designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva.

Application forms are available at participating Petron service stations and bulk plants nationwide, or from the Secretariat Office (c/o Studio 5 Designs, 28 Paseo de Roxas cor Jupiter St, Bel-Air Village, Makati City, telephone 02-8909318). The form may also be downloaded from the website: www.visionpetron.com.

Deadline for submission of entries is 18 July 2011 at Petron bulk plants nationwide or 25 July 2011 at the Project Secretariat.