“I've always admired her business skills and her expansion strategy is one of the best in the drugstore industry,” said Coson.
It was high praise from the vice chair of SM Investments Corp. for the late billionaire businesswoman who ran the Mercury Drug empire — a fierce competitor who was also a personal friend.
Born on Sept. 1,1955, Que-Azcona, president of Mercury Drug Corp., was the eldest daughter of Mariano Que, founder of the country’s largest drugstore chain.
Humble beginnings
It was in March of 1945, just as Manila was liberated from Japanese occupation, that Mariano set up shop in Bambang, Manila. Amid the ruins of a war-torn city, he had recognized the need for Sulfathiazole, an oral and topical antimicrobial. With P100 in capital, he purchased the medicine and sold it per piece to those in need — and there were many.
From that humble start, Mercury Drug steadily responded to the evolving needs of its customers over the years by introducing a range of innovations and technologies — including self-service outlets, 24-hour branches, and later, biological refrigerators. By the late 1970s, the company had expanded beyond Luzon, establishing a strong presence in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Rising through the ranks
Low-key and media shy, Que-Azcona is a cum laude graduate from the University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy and in 2020, she was conferred an honorary doctorate by the De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute.
She assumed the presidency of Mercury Drug in 1998. Her rise to the top did not happen overnight — she had to work her way up and earn the trust of the Que patriarch, who passed away in 2017.
From cutting her teeth and learning the ropes in warehousing, distribution and merchandising, she was later appointed assistant general manager and then general manager in the 1980s before eventually assuming the top post in the company her father had built.
Growth and expansion
Under her leadership, Mercury Drug — which by then also owned Tropical Hut Hamburger and Fortune Bakeshop — underwent rapid expansion, growing to more than 1,000 stores nationwide. This growth led to the formation of Mercury Drug Group of Companies Inc. as its holding firm. It is also said that Mercury Drug employs the largest number of pharmacists in the country.
In 2011, Mercury Drug completed the MDC 100 Tower — a 33-story grade B commercial-office building on E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., featuring a revolving restaurant — marking the company’s foray into real estate.
Giving back
In 2022, Mercury Drug became the first Platinum Donor to the Dr. Placido L. Mapa Jr. (PLM) Scholarship Endowment of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), which provides student grantees 100-percent tuition and miscellaneous fees coverage and other benefits. Vivian’s son and only child Steven is an alumnus of UA&P.
Said Que-Azcona — the country’s top individual taxpayer in 2012 — of the bequest:
“Mercury Drug’s founder, Dr. Mariano Que, and his wife, Mrs. Estelita de Jesus-Que, were staunch advocates and firm believers of education. By supporting the PLM Scholarship Endowment, we are keeping alive their dream of helping children, especially those who excel academically, to achieve tertiary education and hopefully become future leaders of our country.”
Meanwhile, through its partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Mercury Drug supports waterless communities by providing access to safe, potable water through its Operation Pa-Tubig program.
“Recognition or publicity is not important,” said Que-Azcona in a 2024 feature. “What matters is that we are able to use our resources to extend a hand wherever we can, in the best and most expeditious way possible.”
To her colleagues at the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), she was a constant source of support and encouragement—always ready to lend a helping hand for PRA activities and projects, and ever willing to cheer everyone on.
PRA director Paul Santos, who first met Que-Azcona in 1999, remembers her as a quiet yet impactful presence. “Over the years she made her presence felt in association affairs, becoming one of its guiding lights. Her advice was frequently sought and it was freely given.”
Vivian Que-Azcona, a Quadricentennial awardee from the University of Sto. Tomas for Exemplary Service to the University, is survived by her husband Edward, son Steven and siblings Martiniano, Fortune, Joanne, Rose, and Ida.
(Vivian Que-Azcona became president of Mercury Drug in 1998, not 2017 as previously stated. We apologize for the error and any confusion it may have caused.)
Features Reporter
