Only half of Filipinos feel financially prepared for retirement, even as a broader Asian trend shows that most prioritize quality of life over living longer, according to a survey by Manulife.
In its 2025 Financial Resilience and Longevity Report, Manulife found that just 52 percent of Filipinos believe they have enough funds to retire comfortably, placing the Philippines third out of four countries least likely to have sufficient retirement savings.
The finding highlights a gap between retirement aspirations and financial preparedness, as fewer than one in 10 respondents across Asia said they want to live longer regardless of circumstances, with the majority prioritizing independence, health, and a meaningful life instead.
‘Despite believing that financial well-being can affect health span and lifespan, people aren’t taking sufficient action to prepare,’ Manulife said Even so, Manulife said the Philippines was showing signs of an optimistic transition in retirement planning, with 73 percent of respondents now preferring income-generating investments over property.
‘Those who have de-prioritized property as an investment have done so because they’ve discovered it’s not the safe, low-downside investment they believed it was. They also feel property keeps them from being able to take advantage of other investments,’ Manulife said.
Compared with Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the Philippines had the highest share of respondents (55 percent) who believe that owning property could eat into their future savings.
With this, 66 percent of Filipino respondents rely on cash and fixed deposits for retirement, rather than alternatives such as pensions, property or mutual funds. Don’t rely on cash
However, Manulife warned that relying on cash alone could leave retirees exposed to financial risks. It added that three to four in 10 Asians are not knowledgeable about investing.
‘Holding too much cash and relying solely on property can leave people vulnerable to inflation and income shortfalls,’ Calvin Chiu, head of Asia Retirement Manulife and chief executive officer of Manulife Hong Kong, said. ‘Building financial resilience means diversifying across income-generating and inflation-protected assets – and doing so early,’ he added.