The leading life insurer’s health literacy initiative has spanned eight schools across five regions in the country

MANILA, Philippines, December 3, 2024 — After just three months since launch, AIA Philippines, formerly Philam Life and one of the country’s largest life insurance companies, has continued expanding its AIA Healthiest Schools program, a pioneering initiative aimed at boosting health literacy among young Filipinos.

Following successful launches in countries such as Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, AIA Healthiest Schools was introduced locally in August 2024. Since then, the program has reached over 7,200 students and more than 139 school personnel across eight schools in five regions—Western Visayas, CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), National Capital Region, Bicol, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). The program equips students aged 5 to 16 with the knowledge, skills, and tools to make healthier choices and build a foundation for lifelong well-being.

Through AIA Healthiest Schools, participating students and educators gain access to free curriculum-linked resources built on four pillars of well-being: healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, and sustainability. With its implementation partner Corazon S. Atayde Memorial Foundation (CSAMF), AIA Philippines piloted the program in schools such as Happy Hollow Elementary School and Happy Hollow National High School in Baguio; San Diego Elementary School and Commonwealth High School in Quezon City; San Juan Central School in Laguna; Lictin Integrated School in Catanduanes; Comagaycay Elementary School in Camarines Sur; and Polopiña National High School in Iloilo -- serving grassroots communities to ensure that the program supports underserved populations effectively.

“The AIA Healthiest Schools program brings to life AIA’s purpose to help people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives,” said Melissa Henson, AIA Philippines’ Chief Marketing Officer.

“We aim to create long-term positive impact on students’ health by providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed and healthy decisions. This aligns with AIA’s global goal of improving health literacy and community well-being, especially among young people."

The program includes a robust Training of Trainers (TOT) component among select teachers to effectively integrate AIA Healthiest Schools’ modules and activities into their lesson plans. The curriculum-linked resources include engaging films, presentations, worksheets, and bite-sized activities, making learning about health fun and impactful.

Learners can apply their newfound knowledge through the AIA Healthiest Schools Competition, where students are encouraged to develop and implement health projects based on the program’s four pillars, showcasing their initiatives with real-life application. Winning students will represent their schools and will advance to a regional competition in July 2025. This competition offers students a platform to bring their learning to life and make a meaningful impact in their communities.

“We are happy to partner with AIA Philippines, because we believe that we can maximize the potential of this program to make a lasting difference in students' lives, by helping them build habits that promote overall health and well-being,” added Margaux Atayde, Executive Director, CSAMF.

After the successful pilot, AIA Philippines and CSAMF will expand the program in 2025 to more partner elementary and secondary schools nationwide. AIA Healthiest Schools offers access to free educational materials backed by HARK LONDON, a leading education and youth consultancy that helps organizations make a real impact on young lives around the world. These materials are also localized by Filipino experts.

Together with its partners, AIA is creating an ecosystem that empowers students and communities to take charge of their health. Active in eight markets across Asia and Australia, AIA Healthiest Schools is a key component of AIA’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, transforming communities and contributing to building a healthier future for the youth.

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About AIA Philippines

AIA Philippines (AIA Philippines Life and General Insurance Company, Inc.) is one of the country’s largest life insurance companies. Originally established on 21 June 1947 as Philam Life (The Philippine American Life and General Insurance Company), AIA Philippines has earned the trust of customers for its financial strength, strong brand name, and ability to deliver on its promises. Today, AIA Philippines is a member of AIA Group Limited, the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group, which operates in 18 markets across the Asia-Pacific region.

AIA Philippines has PHP266.75 billion in total assets and PHP72.54 billion in net worth1 as of 31 December 2023 while serving nearly 1,200,000 individual policyholders and almost 1,000,000 insured group members.

Based on the Insurance Commission results as of 31 December 2023, the combined total premium income of AIA Philippines and BPI AIA was at PHP27.93 billion.

AIA Philippines understands the needs of its customers and provides holistic solutions that include life protection, health insurance, savings, education, retirement, investment, group, and credit life insurance. Its subsidiaries include BPI AIA Life Assurance Corporation (formerly BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corporation), its bancassurance arm; AIA Investment Management and Trust Corporation Philippines, its trust company managing its local funds; and MediCard Philippines, its wholly owned health maintenance organization (HMO) company.

About AIA

AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively “AIA” or the “Group”) comprise the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. It has a presence in 18 markets – wholly-owned branches and subsidiaries in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR², Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Vietnam, Brunei and Macau SAR³, and a 49 per cent joint venture in India. In addition, AIA has a 24.99 per cent shareholding in China Post Life Insurance Co., Ltd.

The business that is now AIA was first established in Shanghai more than a century ago in 1919. It is a market leader in Asia (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums and holds leading positions across the majority of its markets. It had total assets of US$286 billion as of 31 December 2023.

AIA meets the long-term savings and protection needs of individuals by offering a range of products and services including life insurance, accident and health insurance and savings plans. The Group also provides employee benefits, credit life and pension services to corporate clients. Through an extensive network of agents, partners and employees across Asia, AIA serves the holders of more than 42 million individual policies and over 18 million participating members of group insurance schemes.

AIA Group Limited is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock codes “1299” for HKD counter and “81299” for RMB counter with American Depositary Receipts (Level 1) traded on the over-the-counter market under the ticker symbol “AAGIY”.

For more information:
Michelle Velete
Communications Lead
AIA Philippines
michelleelaine.velete@aia.com

Andrea Suarez
Media Relations Manager
Ogilvy Philippines
andrea.suarez@ogilvy.com

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¹ Based on the 2023 annual accounts Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.
² Hong Kong SAR refers to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
³ Macau SAR refers to the Macau Special Administrative Region.