Product Showcase
Landers Superstore’s European festival is here
Landers Superstore is raising the bar even higher for this festival with more premium European brands on display, more deals to love and more exciting activities that will transport you to the streets of Paris, Rome or Madrid.
For many Filipinos, Europe is the ultimate dream destination – a place of breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and cultural treasures. Now you don’t need to travel far to experience its charms. Landers Superstore, the fastest-growing membership retail chain in the country, is hosting THE BIGGEST EUROPEAN FESTIVAL this month, to put the spotlight on European excellence and bring beloved European products closer to home.
Drawing from the success of Japan Fest last year, Landers Superstore is raising the bar even higher for this festival with more premium European brands on display, more deals to love and more exciting activities that will transport you to the streets of Paris, Rome or Madrid. Whether you’re a fan of fine European delicacies, a culture enthusiast, or simply looking for something to do on a weekend, Landers Superstore’s European Festival promises a grand celebration that’s too good to miss.
European Festival Grand Launch
To kick things off, Landers Superstore held a grand launch for the Biggest European Festival at Landers Arca South last March 5, 2025. The event commenced with an electrifying flamenco performance by AXIS, setting the tone for a truly immersive cultural experience.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by Landers Deputy Chief Executive Officer Bill Cummings, Ambassador of Spain to the Philippines Miguel Utray, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Executive Director Florian Gottein, British Embassy Representative Windy Anonuevo, and celebrities Carla Abellana and Daniel Matsunaga.
Bill Cummings, in his welcome remarks, emphasized the significance of the event, calling it Landers’ most ambitious showcase to date. “Through the years, we’ve hosted incredible festivals featuring top brands and products from all over the world. Each one was a step forward in our mission to bring global excellence closer to our members. This time, we’re taking things even further. The Landers European Festival is a celebration of excellence, authenticity, and discovery, featuring over a thousand premium European finds—from beloved household names to new brands you’ll surely love.”
He also underscored the festival’s unique experiential aspect, encouraging members to take part in the Landers European Festival Caravan. “Beyond just shopping, we’ve prepared immersive and fun-filled experiences that will transport you to Europe. You can taste, explore, and sample our premium selection for free while also enjoying booths that offer cultural exchange and other fun-filled activities.”
Ambassador Utray and Director Gottein also expressed their enthusiasm and support for the festival, highlighting its role in strengthening economic and cultural ties between Europe and the Philippines.
Experience European excellence firsthand
The highlight of the festival is the European Festival Caravan, a special in-store event that will let members experience European excellence up close and personal. The stores will be transformed into charming European-inspired streets lined with food stalls and exhibitor booths. There, members can indulge in free samples of European delicacies, avail exclusive deals from travel agencies specializing in Europe tours and engage with organizations promoting European arts and culture.
Street artists will provide free caricature portraits to members with a minimum P500 single-receipt purchase from Landers Central while Human Statues will provide entertainment to members.
The caravan will make its first stop at Landers Arca South on March 7 to 9, followed by Landers Nuvali on March 12 to 16, Landers Otis on March 19 to 23 and Landers Arcovia City on March 26 to 30.
Shop and save on premium European products
Running alongside the caravan is The Biggest European Festival Sale, happening from March 7 to 30. This sale is the perfect opportunity to indulge in the finest European finds at 50% OFF and Buy 1 Get 1 deals. From tasty snacks to bath and beauty essentials, this sale makes it even easier than ever to enjoy authentic delights from Spain, Italy, UK, Germany, and France, among others.
Get special deals at Landers Central and Doppio
Members can also enjoy exciting promo deals at Landers Central and Doppio, including P100 OFF on 18” whole pizza (any flavor), P170 ONLY on Jamon Creamy Truffle Pasta (regular price P189), and 50% OFF on Iced Spanish Latte. These exclusive dining offers make the European Festival even more rewarding for food lovers looking to indulge in delicious flavors at unbeatable prices.
Join the BIGGEST European Festival in town!
Don’t miss this chance to indulge in European wonders and score massive savings on premium European products. Sign up or renew your membership and be part of the BIGGEST European Festival in town. Membership fees are currently priced at P700 for Premium Membership and P1,200 for Business Membership. You can maximize your shopping experience further with the Landers Cashback Everywhere Credit Card, which lets you earn up to 5% cashback on all purchases, anywhere you shop.
See you at Landers European Festival – and discover why your membership means MORE at Landers.
Product Showcase
Sun Life appoints Bianca Ilibasic as Managing Director, Sun Life Global Solutions
She will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance.
Sun Life has appointed Bianca Ilibasic as the Managing Director for its global capability centre, Sun Life Global Solutions (SLGS). She previously served as Vice President & Chief Operations Officer, Sun Life Asia.
In her new role, Bianca will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance. Her mandate is to further scale SLGS as a high-impact, enterprise capability supporting Sun Life across 28 markets.
During her time in Asia, Bianca advanced straight-through processing, accelerated digital adoption, and shaped a forward-looking AI roadmap to drive business growth — strengthening shared platforms and enabling scalable outcomes.
Commenting on the appointment, Laura Money, EVP and Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer, Sun Life, said, “Over the past four years, Bianca has been a driving force behind operational excellence and digital transformation, leading with clarity, courage, and a deep commitment to our Purpose. Advancing our AI roadmap and scaling impact across common platforms, Bianca has been consistently delivering results while building strong, empowered teams. She is a visionary, insights driven leader who brings energy, heart, and ambition to everything she does, and I could not be more thrilled to see her step into this role.”
Reflecting on the opportunity, Bianca added: “I am excited to begin this new chapter. Sun Life Global Solutions is more than a capability centre — excellence, innovation, and dedication are consistently demonstrated via brilliant, passionate teams across India and the Philippines who support our Purpose and our Clients every single day. What excites me most is the opportunity to build on our foundation and deepen partnerships, accelerate transformation, and relentlessly focus on outcomes that truly matter to our Clients.”
Bianca’s appointment marks a defining moment for SLGS, strengthening its role as both a strategic engine for enterprise value and a platform where empowered teams can shape what’s next for Sun Life. We look forward to everything Bianca and the SLGS team will achieve together.
Product Showcase
Manulife continues legacy of service in PH with Impact Week 2026
All five Manulife organizations in the Philippines—Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corporation (MCBL), Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (MIMTC), Manulife Business Processing Services (MBPS), and Manulife IT Delivery Center (MITDC)—held activities that advanced environmental, educational, and social causes.
Manulife hosted its inaugural Impact Week, a global volunteer initiative designed to strengthen well-being, build social connection and unite teams through purpose-driven community action.
All five Manulife organizations in the Philippines—Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corporation (MCBL), Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (MIMTC), Manulife Business Processing Services (MBPS), and Manulife IT Delivery Center (MITDC)—held activities that advanced environmental, educational, and social causes.
“Manulife’s Longevity ambition is about helping people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives—and we believe that starts with strong, resilient communities,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines. “Impact Week brings this to life by mobilizing colleagues across our Philippine entities to volunteer at scale, working side by side with our community partners and reinforcing the shared purpose that strengthens long-term well-being. Through these collective actions, we are creating immediate impact and helping build a more sustainable and inclusive future for the communities we serve.”
Results and Highlights from Impact Week 2026
During Impact Week, more than 1,200 colleagues participated in volunteering activities, logging more than 4,700 volunteering hours.
Beyond the numbers, Impact Week strengthened connection across teams, bringing colleagues together around shared purpose and reinforcing a culture of inclusion.
- Ongoing tripartite impact: As part of a tripartite collaboration with the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation (CSAMF) and Haribon Foundation—combining Manulife’s community investment commitments, CSAMF’s financial literacy program, and Haribon’s biodiversity and environmental work—Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life (MCBL), and Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (MIMTC) led the on-ground activities in Infanta, Quezon Province.
- Supporting financial resilience through Peso Smart: Volunteers supported Peso Smart Pinoy (PSP) through challenge-based activities in Brgy. Alitas, Infanta, culminating in a graduation ceremony recognizing PSP participants and their progress toward greater financial confidence. Peso Smart is a financial literacy program that has reached more than 4,000 learners across 18 schools nationwide since 2017,
- Contributing to a healthier planet: Volunteers, together with Haribon Foundation and the Alitas Farmers Folks Association (AFFA), planted 2,500 mangrove seedlings, advancing the Ridge-to-Reef Reforestation Initiative and adding to Manulife and Haribon’s total of more than 31,000 trees planted since 2023.
- Prioritizing health and well-being: Volunteers partnered with Rise Against Hunger Philippines and Waves for Water Philippines to support food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene initiatives. Together, they packed 17,700+ rice meals, rescued 1,200+ kg of surplus food, distributed 500 hot meals, produced 3,300 mushroom bags for livelihoods, assembled 150 water filtration kits, and developed 100+ concepts for food bank and mobile kitchen initiatives.
- Supporting community education: MITDC delivered its Code4Future program to 28 young learners from St. Martin de Porres Kid’s Home—using coding and creativity to build problem-solving skills and digital confidence.
Extending Impact Together
In addition to the company organized activities, individual colleague teams across the Manulife organizations were supported in leading their own volunteer initiatives with local non-profit partners. For each eligible team-led initiative, Manulife provided a $1,000 donation to the partner organization, extending the reach of Impact Week.
“The most meaningful work is often personal. At Manulife, volunteerism grows when people are trusted to lead on the causes they care about,” said Ardhi Siregar, Chief People Officer, Manulife Philippines. “That’s why we empowered our teams to identify a community impact need, choose a local non-profit partner to collaborate with, and lead the effort themselves—with team grants helping extend that impact through added support where it matters most. That sense of ownership and purpose is what fuels deeper engagement and inspires our colleagues to drive impact that endures.”
With more than 13,000 volunteering hours logged across all Philippine entities in 2025, Impact Week 2026 reflects Manulife’s growing culture of service in the communities where it operates and stands to make a difference.
Volunteering: A Longevity Driver Impact Week aligns closely with the work of the Manulife Longevity Institute, a global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform that will help people thrive at every age. The Institute’s work will support Manulife’s Impact Agenda strategy as our always-on commitment to drive better outcomes for our customers, our communities, and the world we share. We believe collective action can accelerate change and, by collaborating with like-minded partners, we can make a meaningful impact.
Product Showcase
Manulife launches GoalReady health solutions
GoalReady for Health combines investment-linked savings with critical illness and life protection—helping customers build their funds while protecting their goals if a serious illness strikes.
Manulife Philippines and Manulife China Bank Life (MCBL) today announced the launch of Manulife GoalReady for Health, an investment-linked savings plan with comprehensive critical illness and life insurance coverage.
GoalReady for Health combines investment-linked savings with critical illness and life protection—helping customers build their funds while protecting their goals if a serious illness strikes. Designed for Filipinos who want to stay on track with their long-term goals, it helps manage the potential financial disruption caused by health setbacks.
As more Filipinos plan for longer lives, staying on track with their life goals increasingly means being prepared for rising healthcare costs, prolonged illness, and the financial strain health setbacks can place on families. The plan addresses the growing gap in financial preparedness for health emergencies among Filipinos. The recent Manulife Asia Care Study revealed that about four in five Filipinos believe their financial wellbeing has great impact on their health span (both physical and mental) and lifespan.
The financial stakes are steep: A study on the economic impact of cancer in the Philippines found that Filipino patients spend an average of ₱181,789 out-of-pocket within the first year of diagnosis, highlighting the significant financial burden of treatment. Yet Filipinos remain financially underprepared for these possibilities. According to latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Filipinos’ household out-of-pocket for medical expenses stood at 42.7%, while a recent Manulife study found that 33% of Filipinos feel they have insufficient insurance coverage.
GoalReady for Health enables customers to build a dedicated pool of savings for future health needs through professionally managed, investment-linked fund options designed to support long-term goals. At the same time, it provides built-in critical illness protection, helping customers stay on track with their plans even when a serious health event occurs.
“Many Filipinos work hard to build toward their goals, but a serious illness can quickly turn years of progress into an unexpected financial burden. Manulife GoalReady for Health brings together critical illness protection and investment-linked savings for future health needs, helping customers stay financially prepared while protecting what they’ve worked hard to build,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines.
“With Manulife GoalReady for Health, we want Filipinos to move forward with confidence, knowing that a health shock need not become a financial setback—so they can focus on recovery while keeping their savings and life goals on track, and live better for longer,” Hora added.
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