As inflation and the rising costs of living continue to challenge traditional savings methods, more Filipinos are looking for ways to increase their income and make their money work for them. The key to achieving financial success lies in employing investment strategies that meet unique individual needs.
The 2024 Manulife Asia Care Survey found that establishing passive income, securing emergency savings, and achieving financial security during retirement are Filipinos’ top financial goals for the next decade. However, among the Filipinos surveyed, only 6 out of 10 individuals own investment products, such as bonds and unit trusts. Most of the survey respondents prioritize life and health insurance (71% for single individuals and 82% for married individuals) and savings products, such as fixed deposits and foreign currency savings (64% for single individuals and 68% for married individuals).
“Typically, cash and cash equivalents are preferred for their low-risk returns. While they are suitable for immediate financial needs, such as school tuition, emergencies, and medical bills, excessive reliance on cash as a placeholder investment can erode one’s purchasing power because of the continual rise of the prices of goods and services,” shared Aira Gaspar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (Manulife IM Philippines).
“Through our Better Income campaign, Manulife IM Philippines is empowering Filipinos to elevate their financial journey by giving them choices for their investment decisions based on their unique financial goals, needs, risk tolerance, and life stages. By leveraging our diverse suite of unit investment trust funds or UITFs, which include income-paying funds, investors can build a diversified investment portfolio to earn potentially better returns while ensuring a steady income stream for their household,” Gaspar added.
Informed decision-making and risk management are crucial
Well-informed decisions to diversify one’s investments can broaden the scope of opportunities and enhance earnings potential over time, mitigating the risk of outliving one’s retirement income in the face of increasing life expectancy. By managing risks based on one’s investment objectives, even cautious investors can find opportunities that balance potential rewards with their risk tolerance.
Manulife IM Philippines’ Better Income campaign highlights four (4) unit investment trust funds (UITFs), which investors can use to tailor their portfolios to meet their financial goals:
- Manulife Global Multi-Asset Diversified Income Fund, a multi-asset feeder fund which offers income payout generated through multiple sources like global equity, equity-related securities, fixed income, cash, and cash equivalents;
- Manulife Global Preferred Securities Income Fund, a multi-asset feeder fund which provides income payout and long-term capital growth through high quality securities with above average yield;
- Manulife India Equity Feeder Fund, an equity feeder fund which aims to capture attractive growth opportunities in India, a rising economic powerhouse and the fifth largest economy in the world; and
- Manulife Global Dynamic Leaders Equity Feeder Fund, an equity feeder fund which seeks to provide long-term growth by investing in a focused portfolio of the world’s most well-known brands across varied industries like technology, retail, and healthcare.
With its “Better Income” approach, Manulife IM Philippines aims to provide new perspectives to investors, helping them align their unique preferences, needs, and goals with their risk appetites in managing their investment portfolios. By adopting a more goals-based approach, investors can mobilize their savings towards building a well-considered portfolio that can enable them to realize their most important financial aspirations.