2009 News Releases

• Manulife Global Fund is an umbrella fund comprising a number of funds investing primarily in equity and bond securities with different investment objective and risk profile.
• The investment objectives of Manulife Global Fund Asia Value Dividend Equity Fund include emerging markets and thus may be less liquid or more volatile than funds which invest in established markets. Additionally, these investments may encounter risks including legal, regulatory, political, expropriation, repatriation and foreign exchange risks. Where a fund focuses on a specific geographic region, or market or industry sector, it may be subject to greater concentration risks than funds which have broadly diversified investments. Investors may suffer substantial loss of their investments in this Fund which value is affected by the relevant risk factors as stated in the Manulife Global Fund's prospectus.
• Past performance is not indicative of future results and the funds should be regarded as medium to long-term investments.
• The investment decision is yours but you should not invest in a fund unless the intermediary who sells it to you has advised you that it is suitable for you and has explained why including how buying it would be consistent with your investment objectives.
• Investors should not base on this material alone to make investment decisions.

That identifies undervalued and high yielding stocks to capture Asia’s high growth potential for investors

Hong Kong - Manulife Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (MAMHK) today announces the launch of the Asia Value Dividend Equity Fund (“the Fund”) on its Manulife Global Fund (MGF) platform. Managed by disciplined value investment, the Fund aims to achieve capital appreciation through investing in a portfolio of equities-related securities of companies that distribute dividends. These companies derive significant income from, or have significant operations in the Far East ex-Japan region. This comprises countries or markets including Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China.

According to the latest World Economic Outlook Statistics from the International Monetary Fund released in July, GDP growth and projection of the Asia region outpaced other parts of the world again and market consensus expects that the trend will continue, making the Asian equity market potentially more promising over the long term. The Fund aims to capture Asia’s growth potential for investors.

“Asia has become the focus of attention for many investors who are looking for rapid growth and investment opportunities in this region. The question is how to moderate risk while capturing the growth potential in the region,” said Raymond Kong, Assistant Vice President and Product Manager, Investment Funds, MAMHK.

Designed according to these priorities, the Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of listed securities in the Asia (ex-Japan) region, with a focus on companies of strong corporate fundamentals and a history of comparatively higher dividend yields.

Companies in Asia with consistent, stable and high dividend distribution record should provide solid returns to investors. Dividends are often regarded as a cushion during hard times, providing investors with support against excessive falls in the equities when the market goes through corrections.

Talking about the Fund’s research process, Louis So, Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Executive Director, Value Partners Group Limited, said: “In 2008 we conducted more than 2,000 company visits. This bottom-up stock picking approach will be applied to the new portfolio, targeting to diversify with undervalued and high dividend paying companies selected from the MSCI AC Far East ex-Japan Index.”

The Fund is geographically neutral to its benchmark, the MSCI AC Far East ex Japan Index, which means that the Fund’s country allocation is the same as the Index. This neutrality allows for a diversified country exposure while focusing on stock selection strengths without geographical allocation risk.

The Fund is managed by a wholly-owned subsidiary* of the award-winning Value Partners Group Limited.

Awards won by Value Partners Group Limited include:

• Mr. Cheah Cheng Hye, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Value Partners Group Limited, was recognized as one of the 25 most influential people in Asset Management in Asia (AsianInvestor, May 2009)
• 2nd Largest Hedge Fund Manager in Asia in 2007 & 2008 (Alpha Magazine, July/August 2008 and July/August 2007Editions)
• Capital Markets Person of the Year 2007: Mr. Cheah Cheng Hye (FinanceAsia)
• Best of the Best Awards 2006 – Hong Kong – Most Improved Institutional Fund House (Asia Asset Management Journal)

* Sensible Asset Management Limited (“SAM”)

About Manulife Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited
Manulife Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (“MAMHK”) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation (“MFC”) which now conducts its global institutional asset management under the brand name of MFC Global Investment Management (“MFC Global”). MFC Global has more than 100 years of experience in managing portfolios for major clients around the world. With more than US$250 billion in assets under management (as at March 31, 2009), MFC Global is a leading global investment management group. MAMHK is licensed with the Securities and Futures Commission to carry out asset management activities in Hong Kong.

About Manulife (International) Limited
Manulife (International) Limited is a member of the Manulife Financial group of companies. Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$421 billion (approximately HK$ 2,805.7 billion) as at June 30, 2009.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

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Investment involves risks. Fund prices may go down as well as up. Past performance figures shown are not indicative of future performance. Please refer to the prospectus for further details including the risk factors, charges and features of the product. Investments in the emerging markets may be subject to special risks and the risks could be substantially higher than the risks normally associated with the world's more established stock markets.

The above is strictly for information purposes only. Investor has his/her own personal investment objectives, investment products may not be suitable for everyone. During the market volatility, Investors should not invest on the investment product solely based on this material and should seek advice from independent professional advice if necessary.

Media Contact:

Lily Chan
Manulife (International) Limited
Tel: (852) 2202 1284
E-mail: lily_wk_chan@manulife.com