Aspiring for Better: Stories of Courage, Hope, and Financial Resilience

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Manulife Philippines proudly presents  “Manulife Stories,” a video series that celebrates the achievements of realized dreams and the challenges overcome to reach them. This campaign reinforces Manulife’s new brand strategy and global tagline, “Where will better take you.”

In this three-episode series, Manulife customers Peach Abella, Mark David, KL Fernando, Marielle Malaga, Yvonne Reyes, and Manulife brand ambassador and policyholder Anne Curtis share their personal stories of resilience and how investing in themselves paid off over time.

“At the core of every insurance policy is a very human story. No matter the situation, we want our customers to feel supported and know we are looking after their dreams and those of their families,” said Sonali Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Manulife Philippines.

“It is heartwarming to hear our customers talk about how the Manulife team gave them the support and encouragement when they needed it most. Through ‘Manulife Stories,’ we hope to inspire more Filipinos to take proactive steps toward their financial security, knowing that Manulife will be their trusted partner in securing a better future.”

The joys and tears of motherhood

When KL purchased her first Manulife policy, she never imagined its living benefits would play a crucial role in helping her and her husband start a family.

"My husband and I have been married for 14 years. We always wanted to have a baby. We tried everything and in vitro fertilization (IVF) was our last hope. I asked my financial advisor if I could withdraw from my policy to help pay for the procedure. She said yes and helped me with the whole process. A few months after, we had our son, Pedro,” KL shared.

Like KL, Anne Curtis credits her early financial planning for helping her better manage her pregnancy with her daughter Dahlia during the pandemic.

“Everyone was in lockdown, it was a scary feeling. Lalo na I wasn’t working na so may fear of, “paano ‘to?” Of course, I had my husband to help me through it and I had that security also of the insurance that I had in case anything would happen to me. That’s why sobra akong saya (I’m so happy) that at an early age, I decided to prepare. I feel that Manulife has helped me feel assured. From being a single person who loved to travel, now I’m prepared for my own family,” Anne said.

Legacies that save a child’s future

Losing a loved one is destabilizing and it comes with financial and emotional challenges that some families may not be fully prepared to handle. Two families share how their lives were made more secure in the long term with a proactive insurance plan.

Yvonne lost her husband when she was 30, leaving her a grieving single parent to a young daughter. Thanks to her Manulife insurance plan, Yvonne was able to put her daughter through nursing school. “That was when I realized, maybe there was a reason I had to get and keep that plan. Now, as a single parent, I can use the benefit payouts for my daughter’s tuition,” Yvonne shared.

Similarly, Marielle thought she would have to put her dreams of becoming a healthcare professional on hold to financially support her family, spending a month looking after her hospitalized mother. But, in Marielle’s words, she “luckily didn’t have to make that choice” after all. “The money from three combined (Manulife) policies was enough to help pay for her (stay in the) ICU, for the medical expenses, and allowed me to continue (studying) medicine,” Marielle said.

Providing for unique needs

Securing insurance for those with pre-existing conditions can be challenging. Peach, who is HIV-positive, and Mark, who cares for his son with autism, intellectual development delay, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), found hope with Manulife.

“We weren’t able to find that security. Alam kong, hindi kaya [ng anak ko] na siya lang (I know that my son can’t do it on his own),” Mark shared. “He’s already disadvantaged. We want to give him every opportunity, everything that we can give him,” he added.

Filled with determination to financially secure themselves and their loved ones, both Mark and Peach found Manulife financial advisors who collaboratively worked with them to find the right insurance plan and became a good friend to them.

“Siya po yung tumulong, at siya ang rason, kung bakit ako may insurance policy. Hindi ko pababayaan. Sobrang thankful ko na secured na ako ngayon,” Peach said.

(“She helped me find the right insurance policy. She’s the reason I have one. I won’t let this go to waste, and I’m so thankful to be secured now.”)

“Manulife Stories” is now available on Manulife Philippines’ YouTube channel, showcasing these inspiring journeys of courage and hope.

About Manulife Philippines

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 country’s leading life insurance companies. Manulife Philippines is a wholly owned domestic subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, among the world’s largest life insurance companies by market capitalization. Learn more about Manulife Philippines by visiting their website manulife.com.ph and following them on Facebook (facebook.com/ManulifePH), Twitter (@ManulifePH), and Instagram (@manulifeph).

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and live better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

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