Looking forward to bright, sunny tomorrow
The beginning of every new year brings us the opportunity to plan ahead, to embark on new endeavors and make a new start.
A big part of the excitement that accompanies every January is the optimism and the desire to begin something different.
It is the perfect time to initiate and execute long- held plans, with the belief that new beginnings can create new chances and successful outcomes.
According to the Chinese zodiac, the year 2017 is designated as the year of the Red Fire Rooster.
The epitome of fidelity and punctuality, the Rooster’s early morning call awakens people to get up and start to work, signaling a new dawn.
Highly- spirited, intelligent and very ambitious, the Rooster signifies confidence and ability to succeed beyond expectations. And just like the Rooster, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc. looks toward the future with vigor and enthusiasm, eyes forward and always aiming high.
The STAR recently sat down with Sun Life president and CEO Riza Mantaring as she discussed the vision and the five-year plan of the country’s largest insurance company.
Stronger after challenges
The year 2016 brought its own share of hurdles and challenges, the index and stock market values fell. But through bold and innovative programs combined with a legacy of excellence and service, Sun Life was able to maneuver into a stronger position. “We did well in 2016. We were up in sales despite the challenging market. We are really happy about it because despite the challenging market conditions, we still managed to grow. For our mutual fund business, it still managed to hit its targets in terms of gross sales.
In fact, gross sales in 2016 are much higher than the previous year. We’re actually quite happy that they were doing very well despite the conditions in the market,” Mantaring shares.
Going digital
Being one of the stalwarts of the Philippine insurance industry, Sun Life has embarked on a shift toward digital platforms. The Sun Life boss explains, “right now, we have a major digital initiative. We are transforming the company to really move into the digital age. We launched an app, which will allow you to inquire on your policy, transfer funds, and place money right on your mobile app. But the app is just the surface. Digital for us means transforming the entire organization, changing the culture, making people aware. We are moving toward 24/7 operations for example, we are still assessing that. It’s not an easy shift,” admits Mantaring.
Amids t the changing times, higher targets and more challenging goals, Mantaring points to one special element, the secret that keeps the company at its best shape.
“The mos t impor t ant factor for me would be the people. They are really passionate about what they do, both for our employees and our advisors. They are very engaged and when you have a workforce that is very passionate about what they do, that will really push to achieve your goals, then your chances of success are so much higher. I think that probably is the most important factor,” she explains. She adds, “And when people understand their purpose, the value of their job, they realize that they are playing a very valuable role in protecting the future of Filipino families. We don’t have any real resource except our people. And since they are the only real resource, you have to make sure that you take care of them because they are the ones that will deliver for you,” she concludes.
#RisePH
Looking forward, Mantaring also discussed what lies ahead of Sun Life, the fiveyear growth plan dubbed as “Rise PH” which will ultimately serve five million lives by the year 2020.
Under the plan, Sun Life is set to triple its client base to five million clients by championing financial inclusion for the greater number of our countrymen.
Under the initiative, more people from the disadvantaged sectors of society can have access to financial products.
Currently, only a small percentage of Filipinos have access to financial products.
“For us, the next challenge is ‘ RisePH.’ It will be difficult but if we achieve it, it’s making a much bigger contribution to society. Protecting the lives of five million Filipinos is something that will make a lot of difference to many of our countrymen. It will also make us not just a successful company, but a really significant company, contributing to society and to nation building,” she says.
“For 2017, we are forecasting a good year. The year 2014 was a challenge for the industry; 2015 was very good; 2016 was a bit turbulent; but we expect 2017 to be a good year. We will continue to grow, we will open new branches all over the country, we will continue our expansion programs and we will bring new products and services. It’s all about growth for us and we will continue to do that in 2017,” Mantaring assures.