Sunlife is now in its 124 years of serving the Filipino people, helping us achieve real financial security. And when I attended the Sunlife “Kaakbay” event last week, we were asked who our best lifetime partner and how did they change our lives, I quickly recounted the happenings in my life and it led me to this answer:
…most definitely my mom and dad!
I grew up in a political family in Ilocos Norte with my dad, Badoc ex-mayor Angel Bautista, Sr., but unlike the scenes we see on TV where politician parents tend to lose time for their kids, my dad was different. In fact, I grew up to be a daddy’s girl.
But more than the pampering and spoiling I got from him, there are 2 special lessons he taught me before he joined our creator and this made me respect him even more.
One is to be kind to our kapwa Pinoy who are in need. Although I did not follow his footsteps and become a lawyer and politician too, I am inspiring others to do well in life through other means and that is by sharing powerful messages through the newspaper company I worked for in the past decades.
Second is to save for the future. My mom Lolita was the more futuristic one, though. She was basically the driving force for all of us to get investments and one of these is insurance policies. And I admire my mom for insuring all of her kids.
This led me to getting mutual funds from Sunlife in 2016.
So when I was sitting with the audiences during the event, I really felt that I belong.
It was also amazing to hear the stories of prominent personalities, who by the way are ambassadors of Sunlife too, like Charo Santos-Concio, Father and son duo Piolo and Iñigo Pascual, Enchong Dee and MatteoGuidicelli. Among them, I felt for Enchong whose lifetime partner is his swimming coach Caloy and Matteo whose inspiration in life is his grandfather. Both confessed to feeling emotional upon seeing their videos with Matteo saying “this is as real as it gets.”
Indeed, Sunlife has been the partner of many Pinoys in their life tribulations and darkest moments. Health problems and deaths, Sunlife never left its members lying down on the ground. Instead, it served as the rock that Pinoys can lean on. It served as a trampoline that helped its policy holders jump back up.
President of Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. (SLAMCI) Valerie Pama said about being true to their promises to their clients:
“For others, it’s not so easy to promise a lifetime. There’s so many factors to consider. We feel the same way. 10, 20 years from now, are you ready to fulfill all the promises you made in the beginning of a relationship? We stick around even in times of struggles. Are you ready to adapt when times change? To all these questions, Sunlinfe’s answer has always been Yes.“
Meanwhile, President and Chief Agency Distribution Officer of Sun Life Canada (Philippines)ALEXANDER S. NARCISO delivered a touching message, saying:
“All the stories carry the same message…that life is simply better when we have someone who believes in us, supports us, inspires us and makes our lives brighter. These stories exemplify what kind of partner Sunlife aims to be for every Filipino in its pursuit of lifetime security and a healthier life. Nais naming maging kaakbay nila sa buhay habangbuhay.”
Finally, Chief Managing Manager Philippines Mylene Lopa recalled the beginnings of Sunlife in the Philippines and shared their vision:
“124 years ago nung tumaya ang Sunlife sa Pillipinas. Since then we’ve been partnering with their clients in the pursuit of brighter future. We survived 2 World Wars and countless economic crises. And through it all, we have remained committed to the Filipinos. Ngayon tataya kaming muli. Gusto naming mangarap ng mas malakiang mga Pilipino at handa kaming tulungan sila na tuparin ang mga pangarap nila.”
Kids, students, adults, working Pinoys, freelancers, single parents, parents…Sunlife has products fit for every Juan.
The problem is Pinoys still keep on avoiding insurance despite concerns over future.
But Sunlife is not backing out and says it will continue to expand to provide assistance to more Filipinos, and if possible, all Filipinos.
Despite these discouraging figures, President Alex Narciso said the company will expand this year its consumer base and tap more financial consumers to invest in insurance products. He said:
“We have quite a number of market research because we really want to find out what is really top of mind for our potential clients so we are able to address them.”
Among their strategies, Narciso said, is to continue expanding the number of their financial advisors, as well as their productivity. He also said Sun Life is launching digital tools for their advisers for easier access to their materials. The company is also keen on offering this year more products that will “respond to and address the needs of Filipinos.”
Among their latest projects was their team-up with the social navigation application Waze in their “Brighter Drive, Brighter Life” initiative to promote road-safety awareness among motorists. The initiative is expected to alert Waze users to accident-prone areas and remind them to secure a digital life insurance via Lazada, an online market place.
The company also announced the renewal of its tie-up with Fitness First, a fitness brand in Asia, to give additional club benefits and preferential rates for Sun Life clients, advisors and employees.
