A young lady’s mission to make life within reach

Life within reach, a phrase that is noble, yet may seem to be very challenging to achieve. This however, is the guiding principle that encourages a young and forward thinking leader, Geraldine Ann Carag Balao, the lady at the helm of Terramedic Inc.

Having been recently appointed as managing director, the charming, energetic and feisty Guianne is tasked to deliver the company’s mission to provide the best quality and effective medicines that are affordable by most Filipinos, thus, making life within reach.

Guianne, like the company that she leads, shares her firm belief that health is wealth. "Good health and wellness can enable anyone to live and work and enjoy life, that is why Terramedic places high value on thorough research and development to accomplish its mission," she explains.

Just what is Terramedic Inc, that Guianne is affiliated with?

Terramedic Inc. is a 100 percent Filipino-owned company that began 31 years ago, in October of 1975, as a marketing and trading group for manufactured medicines. The first product that it marketed, a cough syrup aptly called Mucotuss, unexpectedly exceeded sales targets on the first year of operation that consequently opened more opportunities for the company’s growth and progress.

Terramedic is composed of a highly motivated and dedicated 130-man sales team and office personnel who have strongly maintained the company’s position as a leading and dominant pharmaceutical company in the country. It has strategic partnerships with a major drug manufacturing company, and Metro Drug Inc., a well known distributor. In its 31 years of operation, the company has been serving the health and wellness needs of satisfied customers.

Guianne relates that Terramedic relies not only on the strength of its products, but also in carefully-planned marketing programs which have shown results in the company’s performance. Proof of this is in 1990, when Terramedic had triggered competition with multinationals by coming up with the first combination pack of Rifampicin and Isoniazid, two formulations prescribed for the treatment of primary complex.

"On the same year, we also came up with Asfrenon-GF, our anti-asthma product that also shook the sales of the leading brand," adds Guianne.

As she was growing up, she continuously helped her parents in their pharmaceutical duties. In so doing, she gained various experiences that instilled a desire in her heart to help improve the lives of Filipinos by continuing the legacy that her parents had started.

Becoming the leader of Terramedic did not come as easy for Guianne. Like any other employee under her stewardship, Guianne herself rose from the ranks as she moved up from washing and labeling medicine bottles to doing clerical works and inventory jobs, before finally commencing finance and management duties.

At Terramedic, employees are highly motivated to enable them to perform better. Sales people are encouraged to put the "power to make wealth" in their own hands.

To begin with, salaries at this pharma company are competitive by industry standards, and, especially when sales targets are attained, incentives and benefits are remarkable. Guianne explains, "in other large companies, salaries offered are high, but commissions can be quite low. We believe that our approach is more encouraging for our people. For excellent performances, we really become creative with our rewards – cash, tenure incentives, loyalty and service tenure programs. We also make sure that our people undergo career enrichment and other relevant training courses."

Terramedic today has carved a niche in ethical products, particularly in pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology. In the recent years, it has introduced Xipro, an antibiotic that costs only half the price of the leading brand, and analgesic / anti-pyretic and vitamin preparations that are among the lowest-priced in the market.

Other plans are in the pipeline, says Guianne "in keeping with Terramedic Inc.’s quest to make life within easy reach for Filipinos."