Manulife Investments Philippines has expanded its investment offerings with the launch of the Manulife Global Diversified Real Asset Feeder Fund, an income-paying unit investment trust fund (UITF) that gives Filipino investors access to a range of global real asset investments.
The fund, previously known as the Manulife Global REIT Feeder Fund, has been converted from a real estate-focused strategy into a multi-asset portfolio. Its investments include global real estate investment trusts (REITs), listed infrastructure, natural resources equities, and U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS).
The change reflects a broader investment approach that aims to combine income opportunities, long-term growth potential, and exposure to assets that may respond differently to inflation and changing market conditions.
What the Manulife Global Diversified Real Asset Feeder Fund Offers
Real assets include investments connected to physical property, infrastructure, and natural resources. These can include commercial real estate, transportation networks, energy systems, and other assets that support economic activity.
Through the new fund structure, investors can access several categories of global real assets through a single professionally managed UITF, rather than building a portfolio of these investments individually.
The fund invests across four main areas:
Global REITs: Listed companies and trusts with exposure to income-generating real estate.
Listed infrastructure: Investments in publicly traded infrastructure businesses and assets that support essential services and economic activity.
Natural resources equities: Shares in companies involved in natural resources and related industries.
U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS): U.S. government securities whose principal adjusts with changes in the Consumer Price Index, helping provide protection against U.S. inflation.
The combination is intended to diversify the portfolio's sources of income and potential returns. However, diversification does not eliminate investment risk, and the fund's value may fluctuate with market conditions.
Why Real Assets Are Drawing Investor Attention
Global economic changes are creating demand for the physical infrastructure that supports technology, energy, and commerce.
The expansion of artificial intelligence and digital services, for example, requires data centers, reliable electricity, and supporting infrastructure. Modernizing transportation and supply chains also calls for investment in physical networks, while the transition to new energy systems is reshaping demand for resources and power infrastructure.
These developments provide a longer-term context for real asset investing. Companies and securities linked to these sectors may benefit from structural changes in the economy, although their performance depends on valuations, operating results, interest rates, regulation, and broader market conditions.
For investors concerned about inflation, certain real assets may offer potential diversification benefits. Yet their returns are not guaranteed to keep pace with inflation, and different asset classes can respond differently to economic shifts.
Income and Long-Term Growth Are Key Fund Objectives
According to Manulife Investments Philippines, the fund seeks to deliver income and long-term inflation-adjusted returns through its diversified global allocation.
Its income-paying structure may appeal to investors who want exposure to multiple real asset categories within one investment product. The fund also aims to provide access to long-term economic trends through professional portfolio management.
Aira Gaspar, president and chief executive officer of Manulife Investments Philippines, said the fund brings together global real asset opportunities in a single solution, giving investors convenient access to asset classes that may otherwise be more difficult to build and manage independently.
The fund is managed by Manulife Investment Management's Multi-Asset Solutions Team, which oversees the company's global multi-asset investment strategies.
Investors should note that the fund's objectives are targets, not guarantees. Its returns may be affected by global equity market movements, interest rates, currency fluctuations, and the performance of the underlying investments.
Minimum Investment and How to Access the Fund
The Manulife Global Diversified Real Asset Feeder Fund is available with a minimum investment of US$1,000 or ₱1,000, according to the company announcement.
Investors can open a UITF account online through Manulife iFUNDS. They may also contact a Manulife Wealth Specialist for additional information about the fund.
Before investing, prospective clients should review the fund's prospectus or other official product documents for details on fees, risks, income distributions, redemption conditions, and eligibility requirements. They should also consider whether the fund's investment strategy matches their financial goals, time horizon, and ability to tolerate losses.
More information is available through the official Manulife Philippines investment funds page.
A Broader Route to Global Real Asset Exposure
The conversion of the former Manulife Global REIT Feeder Fund into a diversified real asset fund gives investors access to a wider set of global investment categories through one UITF.
By combining real estate, infrastructure, natural resources, and inflation-linked U.S. government securities, the fund aims to offer multiple sources of income and potential long-term returns. Its suitability, however, will depend on each investor's needs, risk tolerance, and broader portfolio strategy.