The nation’s premier healthcare firm aims for innovation, regional development, and broader influence in the upcoming years
Unilab Group, the nation’s most-reliable pharmaceutical and healthcare conglomerate, celebrated its 80th anniversary with a strong message to the market: it is hastening its evolution from a modest corner drugstore into a forward-thinking, innovation-driven healthcare frontrunner.
Commemorating its founding anniversary at the PhilSports Arena, the significant event brought together more than 4,000 employees and partners from the Philippines and Southeast Asia. While the agenda included a look back at Unilab’s development and achievements, its primary focus was on gaining momentum for the next 20 years as the organization nears its 100th year.
Established in 1945 during the post-war recovery phase, Unilab began as a modest drugstore on Sto. Cristo Street in Binondo. Its founder, Jose Y. Campos, alongside his business associate, Mariano K. Tan, operated with minimal capital, a rented corner space, and just one shelf for stock. Through determination, ingenuity, and a profound awareness of community needs, the company steadily expanded from those early days.
That same entrepreneurial spirit continues to steer the organization today. Transitioning from its roots in pharmaceutical distribution, Unilab Group strategically invested in establishing strong manufacturing capabilities to ensure quality, accessibility, and self-sufficiency in its product supply. Unilab has since transformed into a healthcare conglomerate with expertise in branded and generic pharmaceuticals, personal care, health services, and animal health.
Clinton Campos Hess, who recently took on the position of Group Chairman, presented the company’s strategic vision for the next decade. This encompasses deepening its position as a significant healthcare actor in the region. He stressed the importance of aligning business growth with social accountability, especially in reaching underserved populations.
“We must guarantee that in pursuing our mission, no one is left behind,” Campos Hess stated during his address.
Campos Hess also detailed Unilab’s three primary strategic pillars: Product Solutions, Health Services, and Education, which are anticipated to foster new business models, improve consumer access to healthcare, and support broader societal objectives.
Investments in infrastructure have been vital in maintaining Unilab’s competitive advantage. Over the last decade, the company has established several cutting-edge facilities such as the Amherst and Belmont plants, Beaute Et Sante Laboratories, Inc. (BESLI), South-Unilab Material Management Office (SUMMO), and First Pioneer Distribution, Inc. II (FPDI). These facilities facilitate high-volume production, quality assurance and control, and industry-compliant storage for specialized therapies including vaccines, oncology, and central nervous system treatments, showcasing Unilab’s commitment to providing only top-quality medicines for Filipinos.
In addition to business growth, Unilab has engaged in initiatives that mirror its community-focused culture. Its 8,000 Hours of Bayanihan campaign encourages employees to collectively track volunteer hours that support health and wellness programs nationwide. The initiative reinforces a long-held principle within the organization: that success is assessed not only by financial metrics but by the lives positively impacted along the journey.
The group also reaffirmed its position in policy advocacy through the Unilab Center for Health Policy (UCHP). Officially launched last year, UCHP serves as a platform for research, dialogue, and multi-sectoral cooperation aimed at addressing systemic deficiencies in Philippine healthcare.
Much of Unilab’s advancements over the previous decades are attributed to the leadership of Jocelyn Campos Hess, who has recently stepped down and taken on the title of Chairman Emeritus. During her tenure, Unilab broadened its business lines, expanded manufacturing capacity, and initiated programs under the Unilab Foundation to advocate health education, inclusive employment, and therapeutic care for children.
Despite increasing competition in both local and regional arenas, Unilab has expressed confidence in the company’s trajectory. The current challenge, it stated, is to scale operations while preserving the core values of husay, malasakit, and bayanihan that have long defined its culture.
As Unilab anticipates its 100th anniversary, the company is resolute in balancing growth with purpose. With its foundations firmly established and leadership directing its gaze outward, Unilab is well-positioned to reinforce its reputation not only as an industry frontrunner but also as a collaborator in striving for healthier Filipinos, one health solution at a time.
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