2006 News Releases

Design contest designed to bring dreams to life!

Kuala Lumpur – To promote and share the Olympic spirit in Asia and around the world, and also to create an opportunity for policyholders, agents and staff to unleash their creativity as to what the Olympic spirit means to them, Manulife — the Worldwide Life-Insurance Partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games — has launched an Asia-wide Olympic Games Pin Design Contest under the theme “Bringing your dreams to life”.

Launched on 1 November 2006, the Manulife Malaysia Olympic Games Pin Design Contest is now taking entry submissions until 15 December 2006. Customers who have in-force life insurance policies with Manulife, Manulife agency members and staff, as of 15 December 2006, are eligible to participate.

“The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is rapidly taking shape as we count down less than two years away from this globally significant moment,” said Peter Robertson, President and Chief Executive Officer for Manulife Insurance (Malaysia) Berhad. “As the Worldwide Life-Insurance Partner of the Beijing Games, Manulife would like to provide an opportunity for its policyholders, agency members and staff to participate in this historic event in a very special way. We believe that everyone has dreams — the important thing is how to bring them to reality. Through this contest, we hope to help our customers ‘paint” dreams and aspirations and breathe life into them by means of their inspiring designs.”

The judging panel will be formed by representatives from the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), an advertising agency working with Manulife and within Manulife Malaysia. They will judge all entries before the end of December 2006. Criteria will be based on the originality of the design and the conviction with which the Olympic spirit, Manulife’s theme message and the distinct culture of Malaysia have been captured. The judging panel will determine 10 awardees, including one Gold and nine Silvers. The Gold Award winner will receive an Olympic Games gold bar worth USD $1,000 and Olympic Games merchandise worth USD $250. The nine Silver Award winners will receive Olympic Games merchandise worth USD $250 each.

The 10 Gold-Award-winning designs, each representing an Asian territory, will be produced into a set of Olympic pins by Manulife and used as part of Manulife’s Olympic memorabilia. All winners will also be presented with a framed set of these 10 pins.

The results will be announced in January 2007 and winners will be notified by mail before 31 January 2007. For further details of the Manulife Malaysia Olympic Games Pin Design Contest, please visit Manulife Malaysia’s website at www.manulife.com.my.

About Manulife Malaysia
Manulife Insurance (Malaysia) Berhad, established in 1963, is a member of Canada-based Manulife Financial Corporation. Manulife Malaysia offers an innovative range of financial protection and wealth management products and services to meet different customer needs. The company currently serves the needs of more than 270,000 policyholders and is one of the most financially sound life insurance companies in the country. Manulife Malaysia has been listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia since 1984. As at June 30, 2006, Manulife Malaysia’s assets under management were in excess of RM2.4 billion.

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients 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$381 billion (US$341 billion) as at September 30, 2006.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

- 30 -

For more information, please contact: