2009 News Releases

Manila - Manulife Philippines has gained momentum in the third quarter of 2009, posting growth in total regular premium sales and single premium sales of 16 per cent and 107 per cent respectively in its combined Life and Pre-Need businesses in the Philippines, compared to the second quarter of the same year. Total assets under management meanwhile grew 7 per cent year-on-year.

With the markets showing recovery from last year’s economic crisis, “Renewed consumer interest in our unit-linked products during the period helped grow the company’s total single premium life sales by 40 per cent in the third quarter compared with the same quarter last year, backed by strong sales of the new single premium back-end loaded product and some excellent 12-month yields for the variable life investment funds commonly selected for the Affluence (agency) and Enrich (bancassurance) product lines,” said Carl Gustini, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines.

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) recently celebrated its 10^th year as a publicly listed company at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), one of only four bourses in the world where it trades its shares.  After ten years of MFC’s existence as a public company, Manulife Philippines realized a three-fold increase in assets under management and total contracted agents as of end-September 2009.

To improve client service, Manulife Philippines recently launched its enhanced website (www.manulife.com.ph), which includes product-related information for individual and group life insurance; daily and historical variable life fund prices for the variable life product lines of Manulife Philippines and Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corp.; a client query electronic form; and a provision for e-mail assistance. “Now, our valued clients and the general public are a mouse-click away from accessing the most up-to-date company information and customer services from this facility,” Gustini announced.

About Manulife
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company opened its doors for business in the Philippines in 1907. Since then, Manulife’s Philippine Branch and later The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. (Manulife Philippines) has grown to become one of the leading life insurance companies in the country.  Manulife Philippines is a wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, among the largest in the world and North America's largest life insurance company by market capitalization (as of September 30, 2009).

Manulife Financial Plans, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. 

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 customers 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$437 billion (US$407 billion) as at September 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.

*Based on combined The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc.and Manulife Financial Plans, Inc. data.

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Media Contact:
Shyla Reyes                                                                              Lils Liwanag
M2.0 Communications                                                               Manulife Philippines
332-1031/476-6643 local 103/104                                            884-5416
shyla.reyes@m2comms.com                                                     lils_liwanag@manulife.com