Mariano Que
Mariano Que | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 August 1921 |
| Died | 14 April 2017 (aged 95) |
| Occupation(s) | Petty trader,[1] Businessman |
| Spouse | Estelita de Jesus |
| Children | 8 |
Mariano Que (14 August 1921 - 14 April 2017) was a Chinese Filipino businessman best known for being the founder of the pharmacy chain Mercury Drug.
Background
Born in 1921,[2] Que worked as an employee at Farmacia Central, a major pharmacy owned by Jose Tee Han Kee along Calle Rosario (now Quintin Paredes Street) in Manila, prior to the onset of World War II.[3] He was orphaned during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.[4]
After the war ended in 1945, Que bought ₱100-worth of Sulfathiazole pills. He sold these drugs in single doses and using his savings decided to buy an assortment of medicine which he later peddled through a pushcart.[5][6] He would eventually found Mercury Drug in Bambang on March 1, 1945.[4] Mercury Drug would open its second store in 1963.[4] In 1972, Mercury would acquire the Tropical Hut fast-food and supermarket chain.[7][8]
Mercury expanded outside Metro Manila with the acquisition of Medical Center Drug Corporation, a medical supplies and equipment manufacturer, in 1976.[4]
Que's daughter Vivian Azcona, would take over Mercury and become company president, following Que's retirement.[5]
Death
Que died on April 14, 2017, at age 95.[9]
Personal life
Que was married to Estelita de Jesus and had 8 children.[5]
References
- ^ Bowring, Philip (May 5, 2022). The Making of the Modern Philippines: Pieces of a Jigsaw State. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 173. ISBN 978-1-350-29682-4. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
- ^ Dacanay, Barbara Mae (April 15, 2017). "Filipino-Chinese drugstore tycoon Que dies at 96". Gulf News. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Flores, Wilson Lee (April 23, 2017). "Al Yuchengco, Mariano Que & Bobby Aboitiz: 3 Tycoons, 3 Visions". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "How Mariano Que built Mercury Drug with P100". Rappler. April 15, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c "The legend of Mariano Que". Rappler. April 25, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Agoncillo, Jodee A. (September 28, 2015). "Mariano Que on living life to the full". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Legazpi, John (June 14, 2022). "Dishes you should try at Tropical Hut, according to Twitterverse". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ "Why 'Tropical Hut' trended on Twitter, inspiring sentimental tweets for the OG burger chain". ANCX. June 13, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Barahan, Ed Margareth (April 15, 2017). "Mercury Drug founder Mariano Que dies at 96". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 8, 2022.