Kicking off its 118th year in the country, Manulife Philippines, the local arm of the leading international financial services provider Manulife, has reaffirmed its commitment to adapting to rapidly changing needs of its growing customer base.

Manulife Philippines is ushering in its 118^th year with important milestones anchored in its continued focus on driving customer satisfaction. It recently captured the top spot among Philippine life insurance companies in customer recommendation, based on the Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey conducted in the Philippines by the global market research firm IPSOS in 2024. Additionally, over the last five years, the company has also paid claims amounting to PHP 12.9 billion, standing by its promise to be with customers as their trusted financial partner for its customers.

“Customers in the Philippines are becoming more proactive in planning their financial protection against any uncertainties. They seek products and services that enable them and their families to live better lives, and we take pride in partnering with them to get closer to this goal. As we aim to the #1 choice for our customers, we are deeply committed to providing them with better innovative solutions on all fronts,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines.

“I am pleased to see the trust and confidence our customers have given us—particularly based on the end-2024 NPS results, where we ranked #1 in terms of customer recommendation. These results inspire us to delight customers even further and consistently provide them the level of service and customer focus they truly deserve,” Hora added.

Financially securing and empowering Filipino families

Driven by its goal to protect more families, Manulife Philippines aims to further broaden its customer base to household decision-makers and young Filipinos through its comprehensive suite of health and life protection products including Manulife Freedom and Manulife HealthFlex.

• Manulife Freedom offers guaranteed cash payouts and life protection and is designed to be a reliable savings plan which can help customers fund their children’s education, pursue their passions, prepare for a comfortable retirement, or leave a legacy to their loved ones.
• Manulife HealthFlex, on the other hand, offers comprehensive protection for over 100 critical illnesses from early diagnosis to recovery, with different payment plans tailored to customers’ lifestyle and budget.

Enabling customers to live Better Days

Manulife Philippines also recently introduced renowned content creator and creative director Erwan Heussaff and daughter Dahlia as the brand’s newest ambassadors, joining actress, wife, and mother Anne Curtis to promote better protection for Filipino families.

“Much of what we know about health and wellness starts from what we learn at home from our own family members, so we are delighted to partner with the Heussaffs to inspire more Filipino families to make financial planning a priority,” Hora shared.

“Particularly following the pandemic, customers have realized that out-of-pocket payments and their emergency savings are not sufficient to pay for future medical costs. They want to be as prepared as possible to ease any financial burden on their children—who can, in turn, learn and adopt the same thinking from their parents,” he added. “That’s why we at Manulife Philippines are constantly looking for ways to boost Filipinos’ level of financial security through products and services that provide protection against uncertainties, empowering customers to live better every day.”

Similarly, Manulife Philippines is focusing on its young Millennial and Gen Z customer base to demonstrate the importance of early preparation to secure their financial futures. The company is enhancing its product offerings and strengthening its health and life protection solutions based on customer insights, as well as recruiting younger advisors who can provide financial advice to help address young Filipino customers’ evolving insurance needs. This is in light of a 2024 Manulife Philippines study, which found that Filipinos remain largely unprepared for medical emergencies, with 41% dipping into out-of-pocket spending. On average, surveyed Filipinos have set aside PHP 62,000 for future medical needs. However, those ages 18-29 only have an average of PHP 38,000 saved.

“While Gen Z customers are starting to build their financial security, they are also highly conscious of how easily factors beyond their control, like medical emergencies, can deplete their savings. In this view, we encourage young customers to start investing in their health and financial future through protection solutions that suit their unique needs and budgets, helping them face the future with confidence,” Hora said. “They can count on us at Manulife to continue developing solutions that provide financial and health protection when it truly matters.”

Since opening its doors in 1907, Manulife Philippines has expanded its business of providing customers with diverse and innovative health, wealth, and protection solutions through its comprehensive product suite. In 1999, Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC), Manulife Philippines’ parent company, was officially listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange. As of end-January 2025, MFC has the largest market capitalization among companies listed in the PSE with PHP2.95 trillion.

Shaping Filipino communities for the better

As part of its legacy, Manulife Philippines has also committed to investing in the communities it serves through the Impact Agenda, its global community investment program focused on building a better business to better the world.

• Peso Smart is Manulife Philippines’ award-winning financial literacy program that supports the initiatives of the Department of Education to expand and improve the financial literacy aspect of the K-12 curriculum. To date, nearly 2,500 Filipino learners have benefited from the program, with its offshoot PesoSmart x RecoveREADS currently being implemented in 10 public schools and three community centers in 9 cities nationwide.

• Since 2022, Manulife Philippines has engaged colleagues and advisors through its Forests for Life collaboration with Haribon Foundation. This program successfully planted over 21,000 native tree seedlings across 17 hectares in the provinces of Quezon, Zambales, and Rizal, and contributed to a much-needed increase in forest cover across Southern Luzon.

• Manulife Philippines also established and operationalized 20 Community Food Farms in Gawad Kalinga villages to benefit community members and enable them to grow, harvest, and earn from their own produce.

Last year, Manulife colleagues from different countries in Asia and North America visited partner communities in the Philippines during the five-day ‘Impact Agenda Adventure.’ These global colleagues spent time on the ground to understand the communities’ needs and see the real-life impact of Manulife’s programs in collaboration with its NGO partners.

“Through our Impact Agenda, we are deeply committed to making a positive impact on the communities we serve to empower sustained health and well-being, drive inclusive economic opportunities, and accelerate a sustainable future with the help of our colleagues and partners,” Hora added.

Manulife Philippines continues driving health and longevity through innovative products, high-quality sustainable growth of its business and distribution channels, and meaningful community initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to securing better futures for Filipinos.