Mercury Drug matriarch Vivian Que-Azcona dead at 69
Vivian Que-Azcona – from Mercury Drug Corp. Facebook page
Updated at 9:41 p.m. on April 10, 2025
MANILA, Philippines — Retail magnate Vivian Que-Azcona, president of leading drug store chain Mercury Group of Companies, died on April 5 at the age of 69.
Industry sources said Que-Azcona had succumbed to a liver ailment. But she was still up and running, attending meetings three weeks ago, without any sign of failing health. She would have turned 70 on Sept. 1.
“With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved President. We kindly ask for your prayers for the eternal repose of her soul,” Mercury Drug Corp. announced on its Facebook page on Thursday night.
Que-Azcona and her siblings ranked 14th among the 50 richest families in the Philippines, based on the 2024 ranking of Forbes Magazine. The magazine estimated their net worth at $1.7 billion.
She continued to lead Mercury group, which was founded by her father Mariano Que in 1945, long after the latter’s death in March 2017.
‘Woman Entrepreneur of the Year’
According to the website of Asia Corporate and Excellence Awards (ACES), which named her the “2021 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year”, Que-Azcona graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Santo Tomas. She became a licensed pharmacist and joined Mercury Drug in 1977 as a staff assistant.
“Under her father’s direct mentorship, Vivian was immersed in all aspects of the business, from warehousing and inventory control to marketing, finance, and corporate management. With no special treatment, she worked harder than most, progressing from assistant general manager in 1980 to vice president and general manager in 1984. By 1998, she had taken over as president and CEO, proving her capability to lead the company into the future,” ACES said.
ACES added that Que-Azcona had shared “the same entrepreneurial drive and values” as her father.
“Under her leadership, Mercury Drug has expanded not only in scale but also in customer service innovation,” ACES noted.
READ: Vivian Que Azcona: Remembering a quiet visionary
From a single store put up in Bambang 80 years ago when Manila had just been liberated from Japanese occupation, Mercury Drug has expanded into a network of around 1,200 stores across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Homegrown pharmaceutical firm Unilab, a brand carried by Mercury for the last 80 years, paid tribute to Que-Azcona on its Facebook page: “She was a visionary leader and a dedicated partner who has left an indelible mark on the Mercury Group of Companies, the health-care industry and the country.”
Unilab said Que-Azcona had “lived with purpose and passion, ensuring only the best health care is accessible to Filipinos.”- Doris Dumlao-Abadilla
