From Bicol to the Nation: Southstar Drug Marks 700 Stores in its 88th Year of Quietly Serving Filipino Communities

 

A heartfelt journey of accessible healthcare, one branch and one community at a time

Eighty-eight years ago, a small herbal pharmacy opened its doors in Naga, Bicol. With little fanfare and a deep sense of purpose, Southstar Drug began its journey not to dominate a market, but to make healthcare more accessible to its community.

Today, that same spirit lives on as Southstar Drug opens its 700th store, a new branch inside UP Diliman. The milestone is less a celebration of numbers and more a quiet reaffirmation of what the brand has always stood for: being where it matters, when it matters for every Filipino.

Now, since joining Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., Southstar Drug has continued to build on its long-standing legacy. Founded in 1937, it officially celebrates 88 years of service in 2025—making it the pioneer at the forefront of the entire industry, one of the earliest and most experienced players among Philippine drugstores.

“We’ve grown branch by branch, community by community,” said Thaddeus Sanchez, General Manager of Southstar Drug. “Each store tells a story, and every expansion reflects a promise to serve with compassion and consistency.”

From its roots in the Bicol region, Southstar Drug has steadily built a stronghold in South Luzon and Central Luzon, with key expansions in provinces like Pampanga, where its presence continues to grow. It has also made its mark in Metro Manila, adapting to the evolving needs of urban communities through innovations like drive-thru pharmacies currently available in Muntinlupa, Marikina, and even in Pampanga, as well.

Southstar Drug has stayed true to its mission: bringing quality healthcare closer to Filipino families. Its recent store openings in Masinloc, Zambales (2022), Lagonoy, Camarines Sur (2024), Cauayan, Masbate (2024), and now in UP Diliman, show a brand that goes where it’s needed—even when those areas are far from commercial centers.

Its e-commerce platform is also one of the most expansive in the country— and this ensures that access to medicine is just a few clicks away, even for those outside major cities.

The UP Diliman store symbolizes not just geographical expansion, but a natural and seamless integration into a vibrant academic community. Southstar Drug has supported the University Health Services through annual donations and currently sponsors the UP Track and Field Team, demonstrating how presence can be purposeful without being promotional.

“From the very start, every move we have made was with purpose and concern for our fellow Filipinos. In Lagonoy, residents used to travel nearly two hours just to buy basic medicine,” one Southstar team member shared. “Now, our pharmacy is just a part of their daily walk home. That’s the kind of difference we want to make with each store we open.”

As Southstar Drug continues its steady expansion into Metro Manila, more residents in the city will slowly experience the small-town warmth and care that has long defined its presence in the provinces. Whether it’s a neighborhood branch beside a Shopwise or tucked into a familiar corner near a Robinsons store, Southstar Drug remains a comforting presence bringing not just medicine, but a sense of community, wherever it opens.

With plans to reach 800 stores by 2026, Southstar Drug remains committed to its founding belief: that healthcare should not be a privilege, but a promise—delivered humbly, one Filipino at a time.