CULTURAL POTPOURRI| Watsons Pharmacy-San Pedro Inaugurated

WATSONS Pharmacy-San Pedro at the Ebro-Dakudao Building was opened to the public after its store blessing last Friday, June 16, 2017.  Reverend Father Amado Arroyo led the Watsons staff headed by VisMin Sales Operations Controller Maria Adelfa Torillas de Ramos, Senior Operations Manager April Lore Inso, Area Operations Manager Liza Barco, Store Manager Mary Grace Bautista, Senior Manager for Store Development Team Cristina Vendicacion, Area Operations Manager Ching Bongcaygo, among others, in prayers before blessing the two-story establishment.  Also in attendance were representatives from Watsons’ trading partners, support groups, the Watsons operations team and setup team.

 (L-R):  Roegen Ramirez, April Lore Inso, Liza Barco, Mary Grace Bautista, Michael Ebro Dakudao, Adel de Ramos, Crisna Jean Tandoy

     In a short opening ceremony emceed by Watsons Marketing Manager Ma. Cecilia T. Canlas, the Cebu-based VisMin Sales Operations Controller Maria Adelfa T. de Ramos, a Davaoena, delivered a short message congratulating Watsons from Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.  De Ramos also assured the guests that Watsons San Pedro will provide its clients the good customer service for their personal care items, pharmaceutical needs, health and beauty products, toiletries and more.  Watsons’ mission is to help people “look good, feel great and have fun.”

“Watsons is the largest health care and beauty care chain store in Asia.  Watsons-San Pedro is the 565th Watsons store in Asia.  It is the 34th Watsons store to be opened in the Philippines in the year 2017; and the 12th Watsons store in the Davao area.  Watsons San Pedro is the first two story store in Davao City,” de Ramos proudly announced.

Watsons came to do business in the Philippines with its pharmacy and soft drink factory in Manila as early as in 1884.  It started its operation in the Philippines again in 2002 when the A.S. Watson Group joined hands with SM Prime Holdings, Inc. which is the Philippines’ leading shopping mall developer.  The first Watsons stores were opened in SM Megamall and The Podium.

      Providing entertainment during the opening ceremony of the launching of the Watsons-San Pedro were the members of the operations team who did a lively song and dance number.  After the program, the Watsons heads threw coins and candies for good luck all over the sanitized Watsons-San Pedro interior.  The guests were then treated to a simple merienda provided by Alex E. Avisado’s AllMeals Restaurant.

       Watsons started as the Hong Kong Dispensary which was established in 1841.  In 1858, British pharmacist Alexander Skirving Watson joined the company as Manager.  The Hong Kong Dispensary with Dr. Alexander Skirving Watson was appointed the chemist of the Hong Kong Governor and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1869.  The Watson family later acquired the Hong Kong Dispensary and thereafter, trading was executed under the name A.S. Watson & Co., Ltd.  The profitable business endeavor that Watsons is has branches in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia.  The current Watsons owner, the CK Hutchison Holdings, acquired a controlling interest in A. S. Watsons in 1963.  Presently, Watsons became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hutchison Whampoa Holdings, Ltd.

     Congratulations, Watsons-San Pedro.  Congratulations Watsons on your 176th Anniversary.

     Happy Father’s Day to all papas.