Leading unibranded line of medicines in the country signs up the original Queen of Philippine Movies anew as its brand ambassador

Susan Roces, in her heyday as Queen of Philippine Movies, had many films where she sang and danced. She admitted recently, however, that her “singing debut” was actually when she was already the endorser for RiteMED.

“Now, wherever I go, people sing to me this jingle I sang for the commercial,” she relates, laughing. “What came to my mind was: just when I became a senior citizen, that’s when I became blessed with a hit song!”

What Roces is most grateful for, however, is that this “assignment,” as she calls the endorsement deal, has allowed her to do something for her father’s legacy.

“My real name is Jesusa Sonora. I was named after my dad, Jesus Sonora. He was a doctor. So, with regards to medicine, getting well and keeping healthy, that has been part of my childhood. I have witnessed many events during the course of my father’s career as a doctor. There was a time he was assigned to the mines up in the Mountain Province. I witnessed how he had to treat a gunshot wound that the guard had inflicted on himself accidentally. I first experienced the agony, not only of the patient, but of the family as well,” she shares.

“He didn’t have much money; he couldn’t afford the rent. However, his patients were in dire need of money, too. So, it’s really true what you see in the movies. Patients pay their doctor with whatever they had – fruits, chicken. Totoo yon. That’s why when I was offered to do this commercial, it touched my heart. My father had long been gone when this commercial was offered to me. So, I said to myself, ‘Is that you, Dad?’ You sent this people to continue your mission – to help the needy, to tell people how to keep healthy? I thank the people of RiteMED for helping me continue my father’s mission.”

“We are very happy and honored that Ms. Susan Roces remains to be our partner in advocating for quality and affordable medicines. She is a very credible endorser; a lot of patients and their families can relate to her. She is very caring and motherly so people can connect. She is also able to generate a high level of trust from consumers,” says Vincent Patrick Guerrero, general manager of RiteMED.

To which Ms Roces simply says, “Ang wish ko para sa lahat ng tao ay maging palaging malusog (What I wish is for all Filipinos to be always healthy).”

For her part, she is simple in her practice of wellness. “Bilang artista, siyempre ang aming oras ay hindi regular. Salamat na lang sa aking mga managers, sinisigurado nila na hindi lumalampas ng 12 midnight. Nagpapaka-Cinderella. Maingat tayo na kung hindi naman kailangan magpuyat, importante rin ang pahinga (As an actress, of course our work hours are erratic. Thanks to my managers, they make sure that I don’t work beyond midnight.

Just like Cinderella! We take care that if thre is no reason to work overtime, it is also important to find time to rest),’’ she reveals.

“Aalagaan ang mga bagay na may kinalaman sa kalusugan natin gaya ng ating diet (We have to take care of the aspects that are related to health, like diet). I don’t go for fad diets. I just taste. At my present age, I just taste everything, I do not indulge. So maybe if I were be born again, maybe that is when I’ll start that kid with a diet. I asked a doctor, how should one feed a child properly? If you start them on something that will eventually be bad for them, that’s a problem. Sabi ng doctor, lahat ng masarap, tanggalin mo (The doctor said – everything that tastes good, remove them),” she laughs.

Now on her seventh year as the brand ambassador of RiteMED, having been part of the brand and its advocacy since 2011. Ms Roces is set to start shooting for a new campaign before the year ends.

“The new campaign will highlight the quality and affordability of RiteMED products and how it allows patients to comply with their medications. Also, it reinforces the importance of asking if there is a RiteMED counterpart for their medicines since the campaign has been very effective in encouraging consumers to ask for RiteMED at the point of sale. Our TVC is more upbeat given the challenges of buying medicines,” shares Guerrero.

On growing older, Ms Roces has this to say: “Salamat na lang at ang wrinkles ko ay happy wrinkles (I am grateful that all my wrinkles are happy wrinkles)!’’

On celebrating its 16th years in the business, meanwhile, RiteMED is happy to report continued growth.

According to Guerrero, the company earned a 60 percent growth in the unbranded market last year alone. RiteMED is even considered as the most trusted pharmaceutical company based on a brand equity study conducted by AC Nielsen in 2015.

As part of RiteMED’s continuous expansion of portfolio of products, the company has recently released new products from its pipeline. These are: Dicycloverine Tab (Stomach Discomfort); Fibermate (Constipation and Weight Loss); Rosuvastatin (Cholesterol); Glibenclamide (Diabetes); Colchicine (Gout); Betamethasone Dexchlorpheniramine (Allergy); Chlophenamine (Allergy); Warming Oil; Relaxing Oil; Calming Relief Cream; Petroleum Jelly; Ethyl Alcohol 40%; Cotton Balls and Rolls (Home Remedies); Hydrocortisone (Derma); Terbinafine (Derma); Mupirocin (Derma); and Dextromethorphan, Dicycloverine, Loratadine, Cetirizine, Paracetamol and Suppository for kids. All these medicines are available in drugstores nationwide.

Recently, RiteMED has also forged a partnership with EuroMed to distribute its medicines to hospital pharmacies to ensure accessibility and convenience for more patients.

As for the rest of the year, RiteMED will launch more products under the following segments: home remedies, pediatrics, central nervous system, cardiovascular, endometabolic, gastro-intestinal, anti-infectives, vitamins, derma and respiratory.

Guerrero reveals another important consumer insight about the health-seeking behavior of Filipinos. “Consumers are not only looking for a more affordable alternative, but also for quality. They will not compromise the health of their families so they buy trusted brands which are known for quality.”

He concludes, “When it comes to compliance, some patients are not able to comply due to high cost of medication. Providing them with a more affordable option allows them to complete the required dosage prescribed by their doctors. And when a patient is a able to comply, we are able to deliver our commitment to every Filipino patient who has the right to be well.”