Manulife Philippines, the local arm of leading international financial services firm Manulife, and Manulife Global Solutions (MGS), the company’s global solutions hub serving customers and colleagues across international markets, are advancing their commitment to supporting financial resilience and prioritizing health and well-being through expanded community investment initiatives focused on financial literacy and access to safe water.

The latest initiatives include the expansion of Peso Smart, Manulife Philippines’ flagship financial literacy program for public school students, and the launch of MGS’ three-year partnership with Waves for Water Philippines, which aims to improve access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in underserved communities.

Supporting financial resilience at an early age with Manulife Peso Smart

For School Year 2026-2027, Peso Smart has expanded to 26 public schools nationwide, broadening the program’s reach with a target of educating 2,700 learners within the school communities. Designed to help Filipinos build practical money management skills, the program introduces concepts such as budgeting, saving, responsible spending, and goal setting through engaging and age-appropriate learning activities.

“Financial resilience is one of the foundations of a longer and more secure life,” said Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines. “Through Peso Smart, we’re helping young Filipinos build the knowledge, confidence, and habits to make informed financial decisions early. As we expand to more public schools and farm schools in Negros Occidental, bringing practical life skills to more learners in ways that can shape their opportunities and well-being for years to come.”

Beginning August 2026, Peso Smart was also introduced in three farm schools in Negros Occidental through a partnership among Manulife Philippines, the Schools Division Office of Negros Occidental, and the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation (CSAMF). The pilot schools are Cansilayan Farm School in Murcia, Manghanoy Farm School in La Castellana, and Eva J. Montilla Farm School in Cauayan, extending the program’s reach to learners in agricultural communities and helping make financial education more accessible to diverse student populations.

Building on the program’s growing momentum, Manulife Philippines used this year’s launch to recognize its top-performing Peso Smart schools from School Year 2025-2026: Ilugin Elementary School in Pasig City, Guadalupe Elementary School in Cebu City, and Cabantian Elementary School in Davao City—each awarded with laptop computers for advancing financial literacy among students and teachers.

Prioritizing health and well-being with access to clean water and sanitation

MGS’ (formerly known as Manulife Business Processing Services), newly launched partnership with Waves for Water Philippines kicked off in July through a series of community activities in Barangays San Rafael in Rodriguez, Rizal, Maly in San Mateo, Rizal, and Bankal in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. 

The partnership launches a three-year Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) program to improve access to safe water and promote healthier living in vulnerable communities. Over three years, Manulife and Waves for Water Philippines aim to deliver at least 450 water filtration kits, six rainwater catchment facilities, 26 water-efficient toilets with septic tanks, 60 standalone handwashing stations, along with hygiene promotion, river rehabilitation, and environmental stewardship initiatives—collectively benefiting more than 20,000 Filipinos.

“Good health starts with access to life’s essentials, and clean water is among the most fundamental,” said Mark Woolfrey, Head of Global Shared Services, Manulife Global Solutions. “Through our partnership with Waves for Water Philippines, we’re helping communities address critical water challenges while supporting healthier and more resilient futures. This collaboration reflects Manulife’s commitment to advancing health and wellbeing through practical, community-based solutions that create lasting impact.”

The program’s initial phase has delivered 184 water filtration kits and three rainwater catchment facilities to more than 1,400 households—including the Dumagat indigenous community in Rizal, families in Cebu, and those relying on improvised water systems in vulnerable areas.

The launch events also gave communities practical training to support long-term use of the systems. Beneficiaries joined sanitation and hygiene orientations, filtration demonstrations, and hands-on assembly with Manulife colleague-volunteers, learning how to operate and maintain the systems while reinforcing the importance of safe water.

Patrick Manuel, Country Director, Waves for Water Philippines shared: “Manulife has been an invaluable partner in helping us push Waves for Water’s mission forward. Our work also aligns closely with Manulife’s vision of longevity: helping people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives.”

The initiatives support the objectives of the Manulife Longevity Institute, which brings together research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community partnerships, to drive action to help people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives. 

Reinforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship and cleaner coastal communities, 2GO Group, Inc. mobilized 149 employee-volunteers across key coastal locations nationwide for this year’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), in partnership with SM Cares.

As part of the annual global initiative, 2GO teams participated in coastal cleanup activities across Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Davao, Cebu, and Manila, helping remove waste from shorelines and supporting efforts to keep coastal communities clean.

In Manila, 2GO volunteers collected a total of 207 kilograms of waste from the cleanup sites. 2GO estimates that the 149 volunteers diverted approximately 768 kilograms of coastal waste across all participating locations.

Beyond volunteer participation, 2GO has continued to strengthen its support for the ICC through material donations and logistics services. Since establishing its partnership with SM Cares for the ICC in 2023, the company has expanded its support to help equip volunteers and facilitate the movement of essential cleanup resources.

Supporting cleanup efforts through people, supplies, and logistics

For this year’s nationwide cleanup, 2GO donated protective gloves for volunteers, building on its previous contributions of cleanup sacks in 2024 and 2025.

The company also provided end-to-end transportation and logistics support for the delivery of heavy-duty weighing scales to cleanup sites nationwide. Building on logistical support initiated in 2025, the service helped ensure that collected waste could be accurately weighed and documented across participating sites.

By combining the dedication of its employee-volunteers with targeted material support and logistics solutions, 2GO helps drive collective action toward cleaner coastal environments and healthier communities across the country.

As a transportation and logistics company serving communities across the Philippine archipelago, 2GO recognizes the importance of supporting the communities and coastal environments connected by its network. Its continued participation in the ICC reflects 2GO’s commitment to contributing its people, resources, and capabilities to environmental initiatives across the country.

Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, collaborated with international non-profit Feed the Children to address health challenges by donating hygiene kits to 2,400 grade school children from fishing and farming communities in Bohol and Zamboanga del Norte.

This initiative is part of FedEx Cares, the company’s global community engagement program, and aims to improve the health and well-being of Filipino students ahead of the upcoming school year. A total of 14 FedEx employees supported the effort by assembling and delivering the kits, which include soap, shampoo, face towels, toothbrush and toothpaste – helping children maintain proper hygiene and stay focused on their education.\

Beyond providing essential supplies, the program promotes lasting behavior change through school-based orientation sessions in 11 schools, encouraging consistent, daily hygiene practices among students. Studies show that handwashing with soap can reduce diarrheal diseases by up to 30% and acute respiratory infections by up to 20%, underscoring the importance of early education and access to basic hygiene tools. Oral health remains a growing concern, with the Philippine Dental Association reporting that 72% of Filipinos suffer from tooth decay, with school-aged children among the most affected, making it a leading cause of school absenteeism.

“At FedEx, we believe that access to basic hygiene is fundamental to a child’s ability to learn and thrive. Through this initiative, we are not only delivering essential supplies but also fostering healthier routines and stronger foundations for learning,” said Maribeth Espinosa, managing director, FedEx Philippines. “By providing hygiene kits and health education, we aim to create a lasting impact and empower Filipino children to stay in school and reach their full potential.”

Since 2023, FedEx has worked with Feed the Children to deliver resources that support the needs of more than 5,000 children across the Philippines.