2005 News Releases

Manila, Philippines - The enormous damage and destruction caused by the recent spate of hurricanes in the United States and also the Pakistan earthquake have left the whole world in a state of shock. Now that the floods have receded in southern United States, displaced families are trying to pick up the pieces of whatever is left of their lives. Pakistan, in the recovery stage, is now facing the major challenge of rebuilding their finances, mostly from scratch.

“The Katrina and Pakistan experiences underscore the need for pre-disaster financial planning,” said Renato Vergel de Dios, Manulife Philippines President and CEO.

The Philippines – the most disaster-prone country in the world – has had more-than-its-fair-share of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and landslides. With its track record of providing sound financial advice to protect its clients’ futures, Manulife offers pre-disaster financial preparedness tips to the public:

• Involve the whole family in financial planning. Family members should be properly briefed about what to do, where to go and who to contact to finance them in the event of a calamity.
• Conduct a thorough household inventory. Record models and costs of all properties. Should a disaster strike, this list will help you prove the value of what you owned if those possessions are destroyed. Make sure to leave a copy of your list with trusted relatives or friends living elsewhere in the country.
• Prepare a durable and lockable evacuation box that you can easily grab in case of an emergency. Make sure that the box contains all important documents — insurance policies, bank statements, income tax returns, Social Security System records, credit card account numbers, birth certificates, marriage contracts, passports, deeds and wills. Store it in a place that you can easily access.
• Try to set aside money in an emergency fund from which you may draw in times of crisis. Keep emergency money in an easily accessible account. Make sure that credit cards are properly paid off. You do not know when you will need to use them.
• Keep a back-up copy of all vital financial documents. Better yet, scan all-important papers and save them on a disk.
• Make sure to have a list of all your financial contacts. In the event of a disaster, you can heave a sigh of relief knowing that you have those crucial contact numbers at your fingertips.
• Talk to a financial planner. Now may be the best time to obtain a life insurance policy. Ask yourself: Does my family and I have enough insurance coverage? Am I adequately covered in case of disability or injury? Reassess your insurance now. Do not wait for disaster to strike.

Natural disasters teach us a most important lesson: They usually occur with little or no warning so preparing for the unexpected is key. Pre-disaster financial planning will go a long way in protecting your family from financial disaster. Why wait?

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Philippines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, the world’s fifth largest and North America’s largest life insurance company by market capitalization.

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$360 billion (US$310 billion) as at September 30, 2005.

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.

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Manulife Philippines
Phone: (632) 884-5417
Email: bobby_Rodrigo@manulife.com