Manulife Philippines Advances Impact Agenda with Sustainability and Community Programs

Manulife Philippines, the local arm of leading financial services provider Manulife, continues to advance its Impact Agenda, the company’s global commitment to drive better outcomes for its customers, communities, and the planet, with various volunteering and community efforts spread throughout the past year.

To cap 2025’s initiatives, Manulife executives, volunteers, and beneficiaries came together for sustained reforestation efforts, advancing environmental restoration and financial education across communities. Manulife’s annual Season of Giving campaign also empowered its colleagues to support causes meaningful to them through personal donations and volunteerism.

A Year of Environmental and Community Impact

In 2025, Manulife Philippines further advanced its contributions to a healthier planet and community development by planting more than 10,000 native trees covering four hectares of terrestrial and coastal areas. To date, it has planted 31,250 trees across terrestrial and coastal reforestation projects in partnership with Haribon Foundation, local communities, and through the efforts of colleague-volunteers.

Seedling Preparation: Through the Seedling Nursery Activity, Manulife Philippines colleague volunteers prepared 1,000 native tree seedlings at a nursery site in Sto. Niño, Rizal in February. The activity was conducted in partnership with Haribon Foundation alongside KAT-MAGAT Tourism and Farmers Association and Sto. Niño Integrated School, supporting reforestation efforts that benefit more than 200 households in the community. Planting these prepared seedlings will commence in 2026, covering eight hectares of forest in the Sierra Madre mountain range.

Mangrove Planting: To support coastal restoration efforts that protect shorelines and local fishing communities, Manulife partnered with Haribon Foundation and the community of Alitas Farmers and Fisherfolk Association (AFFA). These mangrove planting efforts will benefit more than 200 households in Infanta, Quezon. The program has established a dedicated mangrove seedling nursery that aims to produce a total of 15,000 seedlings by the end of 2027.

Terrestrial Planting: Manulife’s flagship terrestrial restoration site in Real, Quezon, has planted 10 hectares in partnership with Haribon Foundation with the support of the communities in Brgy. Tanuan Farmer’s Association (BATAFA) and Samahan ng Katutubong Dumagat ng Real, Quezon Inc. The restoration efforts benefit nearly 10,000 households in Brgy. Maragondon in Real.

Financial Literacy: In collaboration with the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation, Manulife’s Peso Smart program reached s new learners across 18 public elementary schools nationwide in 2025. The award-winning financial literacy program equips young Filipinos with essential financial skills such as saving, budgeting, and investing, while connecting financial literacy. To date, more than 4,900 Filipino learners have completed the Peso Smart program, which Manulife Philippines pioneered in 2017.

Bayanihan Festival: Manulife Business Processing Services (MBPS), the global shared services center of Manulife, held its inaugural Bayanihan Festival in November 2025. Inspired by the Filipino spirit of community and collaboration, MBPS partnered with Rise Against Hunger Philippines, Waves for Water Philippines, and Reach Out and Feed Philippines for initiatives such as Project Baon to address food insecurity and micronutrient deficiency among Filipino children and humanitarian efforts in disaster-hit Cebu province. There, MBPS mobilized colleague-volunteers and dispensed 2,000 relief kits, 5,000 hot meals, and engaged Manulife’s global colleagues to donate to relief efforts, matching donations dollar-for-dollar.

Code4Future: Manulife IT Delivery Center (MITDC), the fintech arm of Manulife, organized two Code4Future learning sessions in 2025. The sessions, which aim to empower children through coding and creativity, drew 73 young learners and more than 80 MITDC colleague-volunteers. The program aimed to spark curiosity and encourage problem-solving skills while showcasing how technology can fuel creativity.

From Trash to Tree-sure: Manulife Philippines also unveiled in its newly opened agency office at the Ayala North Exchange the mural called “From Trash to Tree-sure,” a unique centerpiece embodying the company’s commitment to sustainable business practices and innovation. The mural was crafted from 18.35 kilos of old Manulife t-shirts from past team events, 9.85 kilos of repurposed tarpaulins, and 56.6 kilos of used beverage cartons. It was built by Manulife financial advisors and colleague-volunteers in collaboration with sustainability-focused interior design firm JunkNot, through its Trash Innovation Exchange for Upcycling Project.

To close Impact Agenda efforts in 2025, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Karen Leggett, joined colleague-volunteers from Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life, and Manulife Investments Philippines along with Peso Smart Pinay graduates from Quezon City and Peso Smart teachers from the San Miguel Elementary School in Pasig to prepare 200 native tree seedlings for terrestrial planting in Tanay, Rizal in 2026.

“Taking part in volunteer opportunities like this seedling activity underscores our commitment to supporting communities and championing sustainability through hands-on action,” said Leggett. “Each seedling we plant is a tangible promise to restore forests, protect vital ecosystems, and unlock new opportunities for Filipino communities to thrive. By coming together with partners and volunteers, we are not only cultivating a safer, more resilient future, but also inspiring lasting change for generations to come. We stand united in our mission to transform intent into impact—a testament to the power of collective action.”

In 2025, Manulife colleagues in the Philippines registered more than 13,000 volunteering hours through their participation in different Impact Agenda initiatives. This was further amplified in Manulife’s global Season of Giving campaign, where colleagues are encouraged to donate to charities and volunteer with community organizations of their choice.

Manulife matches colleagues’ donations dollar-for-dollar up to CA$1,000 in Asia during the Season of Giving, which ran from November to December. This matching mechanism transforms individual generosity into a collective, deep impact across markets. The company also recognizes volunteer hours for any of the colleagues’ chosen initiatives, ensuring that colleagues can support causes of personal significance.

“Filipinos entrust us with their financial futures, and that trust comes with a clear responsibility to invest back in meaningful and lasting ways,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines. “The Season of Giving puts this belief into action. We know meaningful change starts with personal commitment, so we take pride in empowering our people to champion the causes that matter most to them.”

Initiatives like Peso Smart, reforestation projects, and Season of Giving campaign reflect Manulife Philippines’ continued commitment to the communities it serves. By combining hands-on local engagement and colleague-driven charitable giving, the company continues to demonstrate that lasting impact comes from consistent action and collective effort.

In November, Manulife Financial Asia Limited won the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability (ACES) Awards 2025 in the category of Top Sustainability Advocates in Asia for its outstanding commitment to sustainability through its Impact Agenda, environmental stewardship, and strategic integration of sustainable investing across its operations. The recently launched Manulife Longevity Institute underscores this commitment by creating a global platform to drive action that helps people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives by 2030—in Asia and around the world.

To learn more about Impact Agenda and Manulife’s commitment towards building a better business to better the world, visit manulife.com.ph.