Last December 16, while most companies in Manila were having its traditional Christmas party, Typhoon Sendong hit Northern Mindanao resulting to incomprehensible loss of lives and property particularly in the areas of Cagayan De Oro and Iligan.

As an immediate response for help, OPPI together with its sub distributor in the area, Surequick Marketing, donated 300 cases of Pocari Sweat for the Sendong victims in Cagayan de Oro through “Operation Bayanihan” of GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.  Ms. Armi Edar Sobremisana, representative of GMA Kapuso Foundation in CDO, received the donation on behalf of Otsuka (Philippines) Pharmaceuticals Inc.  The company also donated P50,000 to the typhoon victims.

The OTSUKA DNA
By: Crystal Llena

On December 8 and 9 2011, Otsuka International Asia Arab (OIAA) implemented a workshop focused on Otsuka’s culture and values. The program was called “Otsuka DNA” and was held on the second day of the 5th OIAA PMM Workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Headed by OPPI President and General Manager Mr. Pol Dimerin, participants were Vice President Mr. Ethan Takemoto, Marketing Director Mr. Kervin Dela Cruz and Product Managers Mr. Joel Almariego, Ms. Nina Baltazar, Ms. Rochelle Fragata, Ms. Eleonor Gonzales, Ms. Winnie Sianda and yours truly.

What are the culture and environment values at Otsuka? The rules and the game of pharmaceutical marketing have changed over the years, but sailing through the years ...Otsuka remains braced to its unique corporate culture and values.

The Otsuka DNA workshop presentations highlighted the major milestones of the Company from the time it started. Looking back, Otsuka consistently developed innovative products through creativity and proof through execution. Otsuka has come this far from Stage 1 as an export business to Stage 3 as a globally accepted company developing new products. Our company remains steadfast as we continue to grow and challenge conventional thinking. Geared with our culture, the vision of the future of Otsuka is to be a top company, with the future being driven by its present goal to be “Global Top 5- Change for Growth.”

Otsuka's Corporate DNA defines who we are and what makes us stand out. It also ensures that our heritage endures successive generations by enabling new team members from around the world to share our values. Most importantly, they highlight the qualities that we are, and always will be, different from other pharmaceutical companies.

Innovative Trends in Gastroenterology & Hepatology
By: Apie Estolano-Garing

We are all witnesses in the developments in the field of Gastroenterology and Hepatology as we always get the chance to join and support our doctors for both international and local conventions. 

Last December 8-9, 2011, OPPI participated in the two-day event with a booth to show our support to Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists which was attended by Filipino medical practitioners and medical students. The delegates had the chance to interact with known medical experts in the treatment of digestive and liver diseases from the Philippines and abroad at St. Luke’s 3rd Liver and 1st Gastroenterology International Symposium at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City. 

With the theme “Innovative Trends in Gastroenterology and Hepatology,” event chairpersons Drs. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes and Joseph Bocobo, together with Dr. Sherrie de Ocampo and the foreign medical experts, gave updates and made presentations on the latest mode of treatments and management of diseases associated with the liver and the digestive system.

The foreign participants were Dr. Roy Soetikno of the Stanford University Hospital; Drs. Patrick Kamath, Keith Lindor, W. Ray Kim and Vijay Shah of Mayo Clinic; Yuman Fong of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Dr. Willis Maddrey of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dr. Robert Gish of the University of California San Diego Medical Center; and Dr. Vu Kwan of Westmead Hospital of Sydney, Australia.
Interactive sessions were about Clinical Pearls in Common Digestive Diseases, and Liver Transplantation.
It was indeed a successful symposium and a great experience to our medical practitioners.

Otsuka people creating new products for better health worldwide… that’s our philosophy. And (Tolvaptan) Samsca the first and only oral vasopressin V2-receptor Anatgonist in Asia that increases free water clearance, is a perfect testament to that.

Samsca is now approved and marketed in USA, Europe, Japan, Canada and China. We are expecting to launch it in 2013 and we are starting our campaign this early. Philippines, recently participated in the 2nd Academy of Vasopressin and Heart Failure organized by KOIAA. Dr. Daniel Morales (Makati Medical Center) and Dr. Jesus Jorge  (Philippine Heart Center) will lead the (Tolvaptan) Samsca awareness in the Philippines.