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.

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.

Healthcare remains a major challenge for Filipino families, with high out-of-pocket expenses and uneven access, leaving many vulnerable when illness strikes. A study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shows six out of 10 families cannot cover a Php 10,000 hospital bill without borrowing or relying on an HMO.

This growing financial strain is no longer confined to households; it is increasingly shaping expectations in the workplace.Recent insights shared by career platform Jobstreet by SEEK show that HMO benefits are now among the top factors influencing job decisions. As medical costs continue to rise, employees increasingly value benefits that provide financial protection and peace of mind.

This comes as the Insurance Commission reports continued growth in the HMO sector, recording a 15.95% year on year expansion in total assets to Php 101.44B in Q1 of 2026 and net income climbing by more than 40% to Php 818.7M, driven by stronger fee income growth. The industry also delivered over Php 74 billion in healthcare benefits in 2025 alone, reinforcing the critical role HMOs play in expanding access to quality healthcare and supporting the overall well-being of the Filipino workforce.

Leading HMO Intellicare heeds to this demand with an extensive HMO network, ensuring healthcare is as accessible to more employers, from major cities to more remote regions in the Philippines. By expanding access, the company empowers more employers to create a sense of security among employees, enabling them to stay productive and engaged.

Collective collaboration

While Intellicare continues to expand across two Metro Manila sites (Head Office in Makati and a back office), four regional offices (Calamba, Bacolod, Cebu, and Davao), and satellite offices across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—from Angeles and Legazpi, to Iloilo and Dumaguete, and down to Cagayan de Oro, Kidapawan, and General Santos—addressing the gap still calls for collective collaboration to drive meaningful progress. This is reflected in the efforts of its client partners, who champion employee well-being.

“It gives our employees peace of mind—not just for themselves, but for their families. When people feel supported, they’re more engaged and able to focus on their work,” said Apple Ann Morales, Head of Human Resources of Metro Dumaguete Water.

“A strong HMO package is something employees actively look for. It ensures healthcare is accessible and financially manageable, while also improving employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity,” said Maan DC Dela Torre, Manager of Human Resources and Administration and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)  of Melco Factory Automation Philippines Inc.

With nearly 1.2 million members, 3,000 corporate accounts, and a network of 69,000 doctors and specialists who are multi‑affiliated across accredited hospitals and clinics, Intellicare provides comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness programs, and digital tools for easier access to services.

“At Intellicare, we collaborate with our partner clients to deliver holistic and efficient healthcare management, where every touchpoint of care creates a ripple of impact—from empowering individuals to building more resilient organizations and shaping a stronger nation,” said Intellicare President Jeremy Matti. .

To know more about Intellicare, visit their website at intellicare.com.ph, or their social media accounts, @Intellicare on Facebook or @IntellicarePH on Instagram, and linkedin.com/company/intellicare-ph on LinkedIn.