Sun Life Financial Philippines brings together four of the biggest names in the country to help Filipinos achieve financial freedom and ensure that they’ll have money for life. Sun Life’s new campaign dubbed as “Money for Life” unites actor and triathlete Matteo Guidicelli, actress, chef, and award winning author Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, actor and producer Piolo Pascual, and top network executive Charo Santos-Concio – all of whom are actual Sun Life clients themselves.

“Money for Life” is Sun Life’s unique approach to financial planning – a way to create a financial plan so that everybody can be assured that they will have money as they go through the different stages of their lives. After all, people’s needs and priorities change, and it is necessary that they have funds wherever life may take them.

During the press conference and grand launch of “Money for Life” last July 22, Sun Life introduced Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo and Charo Santos-Concio as their newest ambassadors. “We’re very happy that we have four big names uniting for this very noble cause, which is to help Filipinos believe that they can have money for life and inspire them to really take concrete actions to achieve this,” said Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa.

A financial paradox

Lopa explained that based on a study conducted by Nielsen Consumer and Media View in partnership with Sun Life, 83% said they would like to be well-insured for the future but only 70% have life insurance policies. On the other hand, 85% said it’s important to invest for the future and for their needs, yet only 2% of Filipinos have any form of investment. Moreover, 34% feel that financial service companies cannot be trusted, while 59% prefer to consult with financial advisors.

Sometimes people associate “financial security” to having money for specific period of their lives but the truth is, we need money in every life stage. “Filipinos want to be secured, but they’re not taking the action to get there. There is a disconnection between what they want to achieve and what they’re actually doing about it, Lopa said. “The lack of preparation and financial awareness is evident in another study we conducted with Social Weather Stations (SWS), which showed that 9 out of every 10 Filipinos experience financial shortage or ‘kakapusan’ every year.”

All these became the impetus for Sun Life to launch the “Money for Life” campaign. “We believe that Filipinos deserve a brighter future – and that brighter future can be achieved if they all have money for every need that they have in life,” Lopa explained. “The campaign is meant to encourage people to take action, consult with an advisor, and create a plan, towards a brighter future.”

To inspire Filipinos to do all these, Sun Life tapped a powerhouse cast of endorsers who truly believe in the cause: Matteo, Judy Ann, Piolo, and Charo, who are all featured in their latest TV commercial:

As advocates of financial security, the four stars are one with Sun Life in promoting good money habits among Filipinos and encouraging them to pursue their financial journey no matter what life stage they may be in.

Different life stages, different needs and priorities

Money for Life’s four ambassadors represent different life stages where priorities and financial goals differ from one another. For instance, Matteo Guidicelli represents someone in the “Getting Started” life stage, or one who is building wealth and setting financial goals. Matteo is the perfect example for this, because even at a young age, he already has investments and businesses, even as he’s engaging in his passions like sports. This is because he is confident that he is preparing for the future, even as he is enjoying the present.

Meanwhile, Judy Ann, being someone who has a young family, is in the “Moving Up” life stage. She shared that it was during her hit TV series Mara Clara when she bought her first insurance policy with Sun Life. Now that she has three kids, she puts her family’s needs first and does her best to be practical when it comes to spending.

It’s a different case for Piolo who’s in the “Preparing Ahead” life stage. With his son Inigo now making his own money, Piolo is able to focus on himself a little more, especially his health. In fact, he is once again participating in the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship this August. “Kung wala kang health, how can you enjoy wealth? The two go hand in hand,” the actor stated.

Piolo also talked about Sun Life’s new product called Sun Fit and Well. “It’s a ‘critical illness’ product that covers prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. It’s the most comprehensive one in the market. And, since prevention is the best cure, we are also building a wellness community that rewards healthy habits,” he said.

As for Charo, who’s in the “Leaving a Legacy” life stage, said that the discipline of investing was demonstrated to her by her parents. She especially appreciated its purpose when her father passed away, and it was the benefits of his insurance that tided them over as their family tried to get its bearing back.

Charo retired from her post as CEO of ABS-CBN last year but is still engaging in her creative pursuits because of to her savings and investments. She also expressed her excitement in sharing her stories, especially to the young, about how to make the most of life and how important it is to prepare for the future. Charo hopes that her journey in life with all its ups and downs will inspire others and encourage them to have a foresight and invest for tomorrow. “It’s a great opportunity to be part of a campaign that can change our collective future, one generation after another at the time that it is most needed,” she said.

Moving towards a brighter Philippines

“Achieving financial security doesn’t happen overnight, but one thing’s for sure: it’s definitely achievable,” Lopa said. “Sun Life aims to help Filipinos enjoy their life to the fullest and also look forward to a brighter future.”

And this is just the beginning, according to Lopa. “Our vision is to create a brighter Philippines and empower every Filipino. More initiatives shall be rolled out in the coming months,” she said.

Sun Life encourages every Filipino to consult a financial advisor as early as they can, create a financial plan, and start investing to ensure that they will have money for life.

In the Philippines, “Money for Life” is available through Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc., Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. and Sun Life Grepa Financial, Inc. Visit moneyforlife.com.ph for more information. ADVT