Manulife targets longevity economy amid retirement gap

Manulife Philippines is positioning itself at the forefront of the growing “longevity economy,” leveraging health, wellness, and financial planning initiatives to address one of the country’s biggest economic challenges — retirement preparedness.

At its inaugural “Time to MOVE – Manulife Longevity Symposium” held at Grand Hyatt Manila on 11 October 2025, Manulife gathered more than 500 leaders from healthcare, finance, and lifestyle sectors to explore how longer life expectancy is reshaping economic priorities.

The event also marked the launch of ManulifeMOVE, a holistic health and finance platform that integrates insurance protection, wellness incentives, and digital financial tools.

“As Filipinos redefine what it means to live longer and better, we at Manulife are committed to helping them achieve this vision with trusted guidance and financial tools to help them make informed decisions about their future,” President and CEO of Manulife Philippines Rahul Hora said.

The initiative builds on key insights from the Manulife Asia Care Survey 2025, which revealed that while Filipinos aspire to age well, most are financially underprepared for retirement. The study found that Filipino respondents have an average of P630,000 saved for retirement—only 16 percent of the P3.85 million they estimate is needed for a comfortable post-work life. About 43 percent of Filipinos said they do not expect to have enough money to retire, and over half (54 percent) worry about running out of funds before they reach old age.

Across Asia, nearly 48 percent of respondents cited maintaining a steady income stream as their top retirement priority, signaling growing demand for long-term savings and insurance solutions that can support both health and financial stability.

“This clearly shows that it is true that we are far from being financially prepared to take care of our longevity,” Manulife Asia Chief Marketing Officer Harshal Shah said.

ManulifeMOVE, the newly launched platform, combines insurance coverage, wellness rewards, and access to partner health services through the Manulife app. Its objective is to help customers form healthy habits while strengthening their financial preparedness — bridging the gap between awareness and action.

Hora added that Manulife aims to help Filipinos close the financial gap by promoting preventive solutions that tie health and savings together: “There’s a clear opportunity to bridge the gap between aspiration and action through practical, preventive solutions that empower our kababayans to maintain their well-being and enjoy a more fulfilling future,” he said.

As the Philippines faces an aging population and a widening retirement savings shortfall, financial institutions such as Manulife are betting on the convergence of health and wealth as a growth frontier — one that may define the next wave of innovation in the financial services sector.