As part of its global Impact Agenda, a long-term commitment to deliver meaningful programs that empower sustained health and well-being, drive inclusive economic opportunity, and accelerate a sustainable future to preserve the planet, the domestic arm of leading global insurer Manulife recently expanded its collaboration with leading nature conservation organization Haribon Foundation through the Forests for Life movement.
“As we reach and engage more communities across the country through our Impact Agenda, we will continue to strengthen our community investments that will not only help us build a better business to better the world, but also foster kindness, generosity, and the bayanihan spirit among many Filipinos,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines.
11,250 seedlings to be planted in 2024
Through the Haribon Foundation, Manulife Philippines commits to planting 11,250 native tree seedlings, in Masinloc, Zambales this year. This expands Manulife’s collaboration with Haribon, which commenced in 2022 with a commitment to help restore Philippine rainforests by planting 15,000 seedlings in Quezon and Rizal provinces.
The reforestation area is part of the Zambales mountains called Important Bird and Biodiversity Area in the town of Masinloc, covering 30,000 hectares of land and has been home to various endangered bird and non-bird species. The area previously hosted chromite mining operations, which resulted in the destruction of its biodiversity. Today, reforestation and protection are much needed for the damaged ecosystem to recover.
To help advance positive environmental change, Manulife has been working on implementing its sustainability action plans. In 2022, Manulife contributed USD 25.1 million in total community investments globally. There are also 1.3 billion trees planted by Manulife Investment Management all over the world since 1985, testifying to its longstanding commitment to create more nature-positive world for its communities*.
Manulife Volunteer Days launched in 10 markets in Asia, including the Philippines
Employee giving and volunteering is also part of Manulife’s community engagement initiatives for its Impact Agenda. During the “Season of Giving” last year, the company launched its Manulife Volunteer Days, a week-long program that provided more than 56 volunteering opportunities for employees globally to volunteer for chosen organizations within their communities. These range from tree-planting, financial literacy activities for students, and other engagement activities for ethnic minorities, elderlies, and various communities in need.
In addition, Manulife also launched the Move for your Community in Asia, where more than 1,700 employees from 10 markets, including colleagues from Manulife Philippines, Manulife China Bank Life and Manulife Investment Management Philippines, accomplished various step goals in five days, achieving 34 million steps in total. These recorded steps were converted to community investments, such as the 900 Peso Smart learning kits for elementary school students in the Philippines through the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation and Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation.
“Since 2017, our financial literacy program Peso Smart has been instrumental in promoting the value of basic financial skills such as saving, budgeting, and investing among young children,” Rahul added. “As Peso Smart has expanded over the years to cater to broader segments — including parents, educators, and university students — we hope we can financially empower more Filipinos to live worry-free and confidently, while securing a better future.”
Other community investments from the Move for your Community in Asia include lunches with reusable boxes for students in Cambodia from the Rabbit School across all its campuses; 10,000 lunches for students in Vietnam through the Lotus Charity Foundation; and a public sanitation facility and a clean water facility in Indonesia through Dompet Dhuafa.