Manulife Financial Donates RMB2million to Support the Earthquake Relief Efforts in China

    TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC; SEHK: 0945

    TORONTO, May 16 /CNW/ - Manulife Financial and its staff and agents are
donating at least RMB2million to support the relief efforts in the areas of
China affected by Monday's earthquake.
    The donation will primarily go to the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal and be
used to provide aid to the areas of China impacted by the disaster. At the
same time, a significant proportion of the donation will be used directly on
the ground in Sichuan Province, to help schoolchildren and teachers at schools
destroyed by the earthquake.
    Mr. Robert A. Cook, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager,
Asia said: "We were all shocked and saddened by Monday's terrible events and
we would like to express our sympathy to the victims and their families. Our
immediate priority was to ensure the safety of all our staff and agents in
China. Now that we have done so, our focus turns to ensuring we do what we can
to support the relief effort and to help local people to start to rebuild
their lives. Manulife colleagues from around the world are working together to
offer support to the people of Sichuan Province."
    Manulife-Sinochem has five sales offices in Sichuan Province - in
Mianyang, Deyang, Nangchong, Zigong and Chengdu. All staff and agents are
accounted for and three of the sales offices - in Nangchong, Zigong and Deyang
- are operational. We expect to recommence operations in Mianyang and Chengdu
in the coming days.
    The company has a total of 766 staff and agents in Sichuan Province.

    About Manulife Financial
    ------------------------
    Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group
serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide.
Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John
Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of
financial protection products and wealth management services through its
extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under
management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$400 billion
(US$389 billion) as at March 31, 2008.
    Manulife Financial is one of two publicly traded life insurance companies
in the world whose rated life insurance subsidiaries hold Standard & Poor's
Rating Services' highest "AAA" rating.
    Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE,
and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet
at www.manulife.com.

For further information: Media inquiries: Laurie Lupton, (416) 852-7792,
Laurie_Lupton@manulife.com