Adds Senior Officers and Realigns Marketing Directors Dedicated to Working with TPAs

(BOSTON, March 25, 2008) - John Hancock Retirement Plan Services has strengthened its commitment to 401k third party administrator firms (TPAs) by expanding its TPA Services team. John Hancock has added two senior officers dedicated to relationships with TPAs and realigned seven regional marketing directors to more closely work with the TPA Services team.

"TPAs are extremely important business partners, and by expanding this team, we are in a better position to help them grow their businesses," said George Revoir, Senior Vice President of John Hancock RPS. "By providing them with more support and sharing our expertise, everyone wins."

John Hancock has hired Allen Cairns and Steven Hart as Assistant Vice Presidents in charge of TPA relations in the East and West divisions, respectively. They will work to promote the interests and needs of John Hancock's key TPA relationships within the company.

Mr. Cairns joins John Hancock with more than 20 years experience in the industry, primarily as a managing and sales partner in a TPA practice. He will draw on his technical background of providing compliance and administrative services for defined contribution and defined benefit plans.

Mr. Hart joins John Hancock with more than 19 years experience in the industry, primarily managing TPA programs on a national basis. He will draw on his experience in developing and managing TPA focused products, systems, sales and marketing tools for providing assistance in placing qualified plans.

Seven Regional Marketing Directors, who previously reported to the sales department, will now be aligned under the TPA services team. Their new responsibilities will focus on supporting TPAs in their regions providing greater support, closer relationships and renewed commitment. Additionally, a team under the leadership of Ann Slotwinski (AVP of TPA Services) will continue to develop value-added programs for TPAs and bring TPA thoughts and concerns to John Hancock's product and process development meetings.

"Allen with his first-hand TPA knowledge and Steve with his experience in national programs bring excellent, complementary skill sets to this team," said Revoir. "We're pleased to bring all these dedicated resources to work with our TPAs and demonstrate our commitment to them."

About John Hancock Retirement Plan Services
Among mutual fund, life insurance companies and banks, JHRPS is ranked as the #1 provider to 401(k)s based on number of 401(k) plans managed, according CFO Magazine. (CFO Magazine 401(k) Buyers Guide Study, published May 2007.)

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$396 billion (US$401 billion) as at December 31, 2007.

Manulife Financial is one of two publicly traded life insurance companies in North America whose rated life insurance subsidiaries hold Standard & Poor's Rating Services' highest "AAA" rating and Moody's Investor Services' second highest "Aa1" rating¹, both representing financial strength.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance, mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.

Both John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York do business under certain instances using the John Hancock Retirement Plan Services name. Group annuity contracts are issued by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), 601 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02116, which is licensed and offers products in all states, except New York. Product features and availability may differ by state. Group annuity contracts and administrative services or record keeping agreements issued in New York are only issued by John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York, 100 Summit Lake Drive, Valhalla, New York 10595, which is licensed in New York.

©2008 John Hancock. All rights reserved.

PR-2008-25 03-08
SOURCE: John Hancock Retirement Plan Services
GA0313083915

¹ These ratings which are current as of October 22, 2007 and are subject to change, apply to John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and its subsidiaries as a measure of the company's ability to honor the death benefit and life annuitization guarantees, but not specific to its products, the performance of these products, the value of any investment in these products upon withdrawal or to individual securities held in any portfolio. Insurance ratings do not apply to the safety and performance of separate accounts. These ratings apply to John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York with the exception of Moody's, which does not rate John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York.