How to Find a Pharmacy Near You in the Philippines, Including 24-Hour Pharmacies, and Check Its FDA Licence
Quick Answer: The Philippines has more than 5,000 chain drugstores plus thousands of independents, but not every shop selling medicine is licensed. Here is how to find the nearest pharmacy, which chains keep 24-hour branches, what the law requires of a drugstore, and how to check its licence in a minute.
Finding medicine in the Philippines is rarely the problem: Mercury Drug alone has more than 1,200 stores, The Generics Pharmacy more than 2,100, Watsons 1,166 and Southstar 716, plus thousands of independent drugstores and Botika ng Barangay outlets. The problems are finding one open at 2 a.m., finding one that stocks what you need at a fair price, and knowing whether the shop is licensed. This guide covers all three: how to find the nearest pharmacy, which chains run 24-hour branches, what the law requires of a drugstore, and how to check its FDA licence. Start with the directory: pharmacies and drugstores on Healthcare Philippines, searchable by city.
How do you find the nearest pharmacy?
- Directory search. Healthcare Philippines lists pharmacies with addresses and phone numbers by city and province: pharmacy listings, or search by name or town. Chains appear branch by branch, for example Mercury Drug, The Generics Pharmacy, Rose Pharmacy and regional chains such as Threesixty Pharmacy and Negros Grace Pharmacy.
- Chain store locators. Mercury Drug, Watsons, Southstar and Rose each publish a store locator with opening hours and phone numbers; Mercury's marks its 24-hour branches.
- Hospitals. Every licensed Level 1 hospital must have a DOH-licensed pharmacy, and Level 2 and 3 hospital pharmacies run around the clock. If nothing else is open, the hospital is.
- Botika ng Barangay and RHU dispensaries. Government outlets stock a short list of essential generics at low prices; ask at the barangay hall or the rural health unit.
Which chains have 24-hour branches?
| Chain | Stores | 24-hour branches | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury Drug | More than 1,200 nationwide | Yes, since 1965; marked in the store locator | Largest by sales; widest prescription stock; own delivery |
| The Generics Pharmacy (TGP) | More than 2,100, franchised | Few | Largest by store count; generics at low prices |
| Watsons | 1,166 at end-2024, including about 400 community pharmacies | Selected branches | Mall and community formats; health and beauty |
| Southstar Drug | 716 | Selected branches | Robinsons Retail; strong in Bicol, Luzon and Visayas |
| Rose Pharmacy | More than 400 | Selected branches | Robinsons Retail; Visayas and Mindanao |
| Regional chains (St Joseph Drug, Threesixty, Negros Grace, Generika, others) | 10 to 200 each | Varies | Often the only chain in provincial towns |
Sources: Mercury Drug corporate information, TGP about us, Philippine Retailers Association, January 2025, Robinsons Retail, Rose Pharmacy. Our pharmacy chains compared guide goes through prices, delivery and loyalty schemes.
What must a licensed drugstore have?
- An FDA License to Operate (LTO). Under the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9711), no establishment may sell drugs without one. The LTO certificate must be displayed in the store.
- A registered pharmacist. The Philippine Pharmacy Act (Republic Act 10918) restricts dispensing of prescription drugs to registered pharmacists or to staff under their direct supervision, and requires the pharmacist's licence to be displayed. A drugstore with no pharmacist on duty may sell only over-the-counter products.
- Generic labelling and the right to choose. The Generics Act (Republic Act 6675) requires generic names on prescriptions and labels, and the pharmacist must offer you the generic equivalents in stock with their prices.
- Registered products only. Every medicine on the shelf must hold an FDA Certificate of Product Registration; the registration number is on the pack.
- Prescriptions for Rx drugs, and a dangerous drugs licence and prescription book for controlled medicines.
How do you check the licence?
- Open the FDA Verification Portal (or the FDA section of the eGovPH app, where the portal was added).
- Choose the establishment list for drugstores and search by the store name, or type the LTO number printed on the certificate in the shop.
- Check the match: name, address, LTO number and validity date. The FDA updates the lists weekly, so a store licensed last month appears within days.
- If the store is not there, or the LTO has expired, do not buy prescription medicines from it. Report it through the FDA's complaint channels.
The same portal checks products: search the brand or generic name in the drug products list and compare the registration number with the pack. Our guide to checking FDA licences for drugstores, distributors and manufacturers goes through the portal screen by screen.
How do you pay less?
- Ask for the generic. The pharmacist must show you the options and prices.
- Use PhilHealth YAKAP. Registered members get prescribed medicines free at accredited GAMOT pharmacies, up to ₱20,000 a year each for the member and every dependant; see our YAKAP guide.
- Senior citizen and PWD discounts. 20% off plus VAT exemption on medicines, by law, with the ID.
- Government outlets. Botika ng Barangay and rural health unit dispensaries sell essential generics at cost.
- Compare chains. The same generic can differ by half between a mall chain and a generics chain two doors down.
Find a licensed pharmacy in your city in the pharmacy directory, and for the nearest health center that can prescribe, see barangay health centers, rural health units and city health offices explained.
Frequently asked questions
- Which pharmacies in the Philippines are open 24 hours?
- Mercury Drug has run 24-hour branches since 1965 and lists its round-the-clock stores in its store locator; Watsons, Southstar Drug and Rose Pharmacy keep selected branches open 24 hours in city centres and near hospitals; hospital pharmacies at Level 2 and Level 3 hospitals are open around the clock for inpatients and often for walk-ins. Outside cities, the nearest 24-hour source of medicine is usually the hospital.
- How do I check if a drugstore is licensed?
- Search the FDA Verification Portal at verification.fda.gov.ph, or the FDA section of the eGovPH app, for the drugstore's name or its License to Operate number. A licensed drugstore appears with its LTO number, address and validity date. The list is updated weekly. The LTO must also be displayed inside the store, with the name of the pharmacist in charge.
- Does a pharmacy need a pharmacist on duty?
- Yes. The Philippine Pharmacy Act of 2016 (Republic Act 10918) allows dispensing of prescription medicines only by or under the direct supervision of a registered pharmacist, and requires drugstores to display the pharmacist's licence. A store with no pharmacist may sell only over-the-counter products.
- Can I ask for a generic instead of the brand?
- Yes. The Generics Act of 1988 (Republic Act 6675) requires prescriptions to be written with the generic name, and the pharmacist must tell you the generic equivalents in stock and their prices so you can choose. The Generics Pharmacy, Generika and the government's Botika ng Barangay outlets specialise in generics.
- Can I get free medicines from a pharmacy?
- If you are registered with a PhilHealth YAKAP clinic and its doctor prescribes through the GAMOT app, accredited pharmacies dispense the prescribed medicines free up to ₱20,000 a year per member and per dependant. Look for the YAKAP GAMOT signage; the pharmacist validates the prescription code against your ID.
- Can I buy medicine online in the Philippines?
- Yes, from licensed pharmacies that run delivery, including Mercury Drug, Watsons, Southstar and Rose Pharmacy, and from platforms that partner with licensed drugstores. Prescription medicines still require a prescription. The FDA has warned repeatedly against buying medicines from unlicensed online sellers and social media accounts, which are not in the verification portal.
