Generics Awareness Month took center stage at the Mercury Drug Q-Plaza Branch in Cainta recently, where RHEA Generics, in support of the Department of Health (DOH) and in partnership with Mercury Drug, gathered healthcare leaders, advocates, and community members for a day dedicated to a timely cause.

Carrying the theme “Ginhawang Generics, Ramdam ng Bawat Pilipino,” the program placed the spotlight on the role of generic medicines in everyday healthcare, stressing their affordability, tested effectiveness, and steady availability in the market. It also aimed to correct long-standing misconceptions, reminding patients that generics undergo the same rigorous standards as branded medicines and can provide the same relief and treatment outcomes.

The Department of Health expressed its full support for the event through a special video message. In the video, the DOH reaffirmed its decades-long advocacy of promoting access to affordable and quality medicines through the Generics Act of 1988 and the Cheaper Medicines Act of 2008. The agency also issued a clear call to action for Filipino patients to proactively ask their doctors and pharmacists about generic equivalents, stressing that informed choices empower communities and strengthen public health.

Sharing the industry perspective, Ms. Giezel Jane Sarmiento, Marketing Head of the Pharmaceutical Business Unit of PHILUSA Corporation, emphasized RHEA Generics’ commitment to the advocacy. “We are helping redefine what generics truly mean — from being seen as ‘second choice’ to becoming the world-class and trusted choice. At RHEA Generics, we believe no Filipino should ever have to choose between health and livelihood; quality healthcare should never be out of reach,” she added, citing the brand’s continuing efforts to build patient confidence in generic medicines.

To extend the celebration beyond awareness-building, RHEA Generics and Mercury Drug offered free clinics to serve Mercury Drug Suki patients and nearby communities with consultations and basic health services, such as free temperature checks, blood pressure monitoring, and screenings for blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

RHEA Generics has been a longstanding partner of the DOH in promoting the responsible use of generics. Strengthening this advocacy, the brand continues to expand its portfolio of molecules through its growing collaborations with leading global pharmaceutical companies.

By raising awareness on generics and making medical support available to the community, the event left a practical reminder that access to quality treatment is not only a national goal but a shared responsibility.