2004 News Releases

--Praised for its user-friendliness to the disabled and the elderly--

Hong Kong– In recognition of its continuous effort and distinguished achievement in providing barrier-free Internet service to those in our community who need it, such as people with disabilities, senior citizens and new immigrants, Manulife (International) Limited has been presented with the Web Care Award by The Internet Professionals Association (iProA) for the second year in a row.

Manulife Hong Kong’s Web site, www.manulife.com.hk, is the only life-insurance company Web site in Hong Kong to have been presented with this enviable award by iProA this year. The award is further classified into two levels in terms of the degree of Web accessibility. This year, more than 50 companies from different industries reached the primary-level requirements, while only around 20 companies attained the secondary level — Manulife being proud to be one of them.

The award signifies Manulife’s outstanding performance in the following areas:

No information in Flash format, auto-refresh features or pop-up windows is displayed to ensure that visually disabled people enjoy a smooth viewing experience.

“We want all our customers and the community to have access to Manulife online. Meeting a barrier-free standard ensures that we support important personal needs so as to provide highly accessible information for everyone to enjoy,” said Celly Hall, Assistant Vice President of e-Business for Asia, Manulife Financial. “As part of our ongoing efforts to contribute to a more caring society, we strive to maintain this standard. We are really pleased to have these efforts recognised once again.”

A total of 70 companies were honoured at a special ceremony by a judging panel comprising 10 representatives from the government and charitable organisations.

This is the third accolade Manulife has won since the beginning of the year. Earlier this month, Manulife was a winner in the Reader’s Digest “Gold SuperBrand Award” in recognition of its commitment to providing superior value and excellent service for its customers.

In February, Manulife triumphed in the “Yahoo! Emotive Brand Awards 2003-2004”, which recognised the company’s success in building a meaningful relationship with the public.

About Internet Professionals Association
The iProA was set up in 1999. It is a non-profit organisation committed to advance the art and science of Internet technology and its applications in Hong Kong. IProA launched the Web Care Campaign in 2001 with the aim of bridging the digital divide.

About Manulife (International) Limited
Manulife (International) Limited is a member of the Manulife Financial group of companies. 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. Pro forma funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$355.9 billion (approximately HK$2,116.3 billion) as at March 31, 2004.

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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For more information, please contact:
Helena Lee / Simmie Kwok
Manulife (International) Limited
Tel: 2202 1050 / 2510 3191
Fax: 2234 6875
Email: helena_lee@manulife.com
simmie_kwok@manulife.com