Cecile's Pharmacy

Cecile’s Pharmacy was founded in Zamboanga City in 1964 by Thelma Gonzales Saavedra, a practicing registered nurse who hailed from Aklan province. Diminutive yet strong-willed, Thelma was supported by her husband Ramon Saavedra, Sr., a local trader in the city, in sustaining the small drugstore located in the bustling public market area at J.S. Alano Street. Started up to supplement the family income of a growing family, little did they know that it would grow into the pharmacy-convenience store retail chain that it is today. The pharmacy slowly but surely established its reputation of being a reliable source of quality medicines priced affordably. The owners’ philosophy was product quality and availability first, as a health-care store, before profits. The stores expanded to 3 branches servicing customers within the downtown pueblo, before current President/CEO Gil Saavedra, 4th among 6 children of the founders, spearheaded the reconfiguration of the stores to a Pharmacy and Convenience Store model, and expanded it to well-populated communities beyond the downtown area. Today, more than 50 years and 20 branches later since it started, Cecile’s Pharmacy is a renowned and reputable brand not only in Zamboanga City, but in the rest of the Zamboanga Peninsula and nearby islands of Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi. The strong brand has become a household name and a go-to store for necessities in the communities. The decades old tagline: “Botika ng Bayan, Sa Serbisyo at Gamot Laging Maaasahan” rings true and encapsulates the proud heritage of its founder. Cecile’s Pharmacy has stood firm in the global pandemic proving its reliability even during times of crises, opening its newest branch in Ipil in the municipality of Zamboanga Sibugay. The company is now poised to expand further and faster than before, embracing innovation and change to cement its place as the market leader in this part of the country.