“Sa Socorro lang ko manaog…”

If you grew up in Iloilo City—especially if you’re from the city proper—chances are, you’ve heard this line a thousand times: “May manaog sa Socorro?”
And no, it wasn’t just about a pharmacy.

That phrase wasn’t just a request to get off a jeep—it was part of the rhythm of our daily lives. Because Socorro Drugstore wasn’t just any drugstore. It was a landmark. A meeting place. A comforting constant in the ever-changing heart of the city.

A Pharmacy Born from Family and Grit

Socorro Drugstore’s story began in the late 1940s, when Doña Gloria Jesena Lorca de Tirol, a passionate Ilongga pharmacist, decided to put up her own botica. Together with her husband, Roberto Hontiveros Tirol, they named it Socorro, in honor of Gloria’s mother. It first opened along Iznart Street, but soon found its permanent home at the iconic Plazoleta Gay, in a wedge-shaped building that became just as memorable as the store itself.

This wasn’t just business—it was family. Mama Gloria wasn’t only dispensing medicine; she was raising children behind the counter, greeting customers by name, and helping build a post-war Iloilo with care and quiet resilience.

A Beacon in Downtown Iloilo

For more than seven decades, Socorro Drug stood proud on the corner of J.M. Basa and Iznart Streets—our very own mini Flatiron Building. Ilonggos navigating downtown didn’t say, “I’m near the obelisk” or “I’m at Plazoleta Gay.” We simply said, “Ari ko sa Socorro.” And everyone understood.

But what made Socorro special wasn’t just its strategic location—it was the soul of the place. While Mercury, Rose, and Watsons popped up in every corner with sterile, copy-paste storefronts, Socorro stayed personal. It had that warm, handwritten feel. Staff knew your lola’s maintenance meds by heart. They trusted you with a short “hulam anay” if you were short on cash. It was old-school Ilonggo service at its finest.

And let’s not forget: they made their own medicines in the early days. Socorro was ahead of its time.

The Waffles, the Wait, and the Warmth

Let’s be honest—some of us went there not just for medicine, but for those legendary waffles tucked along the side. If you know, you know. That faint sweet smell wafting out as you passed by on your way to class or work? That’s a core memory.

You’d see street vendors outside, jeepneys whizzing past, students buying Biogesic or Strepsils before an exam, and the ever-present lola buying Vicks for the nth time. All co-existing in this little bubble called Socorro.

The End of an Era, the Start of a Legacy

When news broke that Socorro Drugstore would be closing in July 2025—after 78 years of serving Iloilo—I felt a lump in my throat. So did many others. It felt like part of our childhood, our youth, our city was quietly turning off its lights.

But this wasn’t just a business shutting down. This was family—our family—saying goodbye to the corner that raised generations.

The silver lining? The family behind Socorro is continuing the legacy in Pavia, with a new chapter named “Mama Ruth’s Pharmacy”, in honor of the late Ruth Tirol, who carried on her mother’s dedication to Ilonggos until the very end.

Salamat gid, Socorro

Thank you for being more than just a drugstore.
For being our downtown compass.
For being part of our stories—from fever nights to waffle cravings, from first crush meetups to lola’s monthly meds.

Socorro was Iloilo.
And Iloilo will always remember.