Easier way of accessing money for medicines introduced

Ensuring that money for medicines will really go to them is a running concern of many breadwinners, especially overseas Filipino workers.

But with this system, one will be sure that it would be.

Generika Drugstore, the country’s first generics drugstore with over 500 branches, introduced last May 20 MEDPadala, the first electronic gift check for purchasing medicines at any of its branches nationwide. MEDPadala is completely paperless and instant; it has no expiry date and can be consumed as many times until the credit is fully used up. It has also no maintaining balance.

Think more of health

“MEDPadala is our way of urging Filipinos to think more of their health,” said Julian Bello, Generika vice president, adding that this will maximize Generika’s support for the Filipino family, aside from the affordable quality generics their drugstores sell. “It will help stretch one’s budget and, in turn, will make him/her more confident [in continuing to help others].”

MEDPadala is like a cell phone load, said Bello, which can be shared to others. “For example, somebody can send P2,000 for a family member or relative, which he/she can consume ‘paunti-unti’ (little by little) until it has no more balance.” It comes with a security PIN to make sure it will be safe, he added.

Bello said MEDPadala aims to cater to the Filipino’s family-oriented values, one of the reasons the OFWs are its primary market, since they are the ones who know exactly the feeling of being away from their families.

Teodoro Ferrer, Generika president, added that MEDPadala is their response to OFWs who floated their concerns that the money they remitted is spent instead on other things, like cell phones and other gadgets. He recounted his conversations with some OFWs from Hong-Kong whom they visited recently. “They were asking us to help them send medicines to their loved ones back in the Philippines and that they are willing to pay.”

Significant part

Ferrer said medicine purchases are a significant part of the expenses of the families left behind. “As of last year, [OFW remittances] amount reached $23 billion. I have no data on the specifics, but I am sure that a [significant] part of it goes to the medicine needs of the families [of OFWs.] Even if it’s only 10 or 1 percent it would still be a significant amount.”

MEDPadala can be bought at any Generika drugstore, online through medpadala.com.ph and VMobile. It will also be available soon through Smart e-Padala and the Philippine National Bank.

Aside from pioneering the selling of generics of the private business sector, Generika also championed to have air-conditioned stores for the preservation of the efficacy of their drug products.