MANILA, Philippines — Manulife Philippines recently celebrated its 105th annitversary – in the same year that its global parent, Manulife Financial Corporation, marks its 125th anniversary. On February 1, 1907, Manulife received its license to operate in the Philippines. This was 20 years after the company was founded in Toronto, Canada in 1887 by Sir John A. Macdonald, who concurrently held the post of Prime Minister of Canada.

In 1923, Edwin E. Elser was appointed head of Manulife's Manila Agency, and the company rapidly developed. Mr. Elser was consistently recognized for topping Manulife international sales records prior to the war. Ten years later, following Mr. Elser's retirement to the US, the company appointed as Manager Dr. Edward Leverich Hall, an American from Shanghai, under whom Manulife established new production records. Dr. Hall was also recognized internationally for his outstanding contributions to public service in the Philippines.

"Arguably, Dr. Hall was the first officer of the company to recognize the need for the agency to go beyond just selling insurance. His recognition in the field of public service still inspires us today to be a more active member of the communities in which we operate," said Indren S. Naidoo, current President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Philippines.

The 1940s witnessed the courage and loyalty of Manulife employees, who risked their personal lives to care for the needs of Manulife expatriates interned at Santo Tomas University in World War II, and to protect customer records and funds.

One employee, in particular, demonstrated genuine commitment in securing those records. Paquita Gonzalez, Manila Agency's Office Manager when World War II spread to the Philippines and the rest of Asia in 1942, inadvertently found herself to be the steward of the company's official documents as well as thousands of dollars and pesos and negotiable securities.

To be caught with those records and such an amount would have risked arrest and even death, but despite the risks involved, Ms. Gonzalez showed laudable courage and ingenuity, stowing them in used clothing, in her ceiling and in various parts of her house. Every week she changed the hiding places and fortunately, the records and money were never found by the occupying Japanese forces.