A Thai internet user expressed concern on a discussion forum after his drone was shot down by authorities in Laos as he tried to fly it across the Mekong River.
Manulife joins hands with St. James’ Settlement to help improve primary school students’ financial literacy
- Multi-year “Go Paperless Education Aid Program” utilizes virtual reality and fintech to provide over 10,000 training hours for more than 600 under-resourced students
- New survey reveals kids’ misconceptions about digital wallets and lack of knowledge about savings
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – Manulife Hong Kong today announced the full launch of its “FinKids Academy” program in conjunction with its community partner St. James’ Settlement (SJS), an initiative that uses innovative technology to help under-resourced children improve their financial literacy, technology know-how and skills to be ready for the hybrid financial world of the future.
The “FinKids Academy” program runs under Manulife’s “Go Paperless Education Aid Program” and follows a successful pilot that ran between March and May this year. The program will benefit more than 600 primary school students from 24 local schools providing more than 10,000 learning hours in total.
The program aims to support the children by equipping them with essential skills and knowledge through 10 in-depth workshops that cover topics such as fintech, basic coding, digital money, budgeting, the metaverse and more. Immersive STEM field trips and inter-school sharing sessions will also take place to provide them with a unique and impactful learning experience.
“Driving inclusive economic opportunities is a key part of Manulife’s Impact Agenda to create a more even playing field for all. We strive to bring long-term positive impact to the community by leveraging our expertise and network to raise the standard of financial literacy,” said Calvin Chiu, Manulife’s Head of Asia Retirement. “With the continuous support of SJS, Manulife hopes to continue promoting children’s understanding of financial concepts with the use of emerging technologies, helping them to make better financial decisions in the future.”
The launch is accompanied by the release of a new survey that reveals misconceptions about digital wallets and a lack of awareness about the importance of saving among Hong Kong’s younger generation. The survey was distributed in June by SJS, with the results based on interviews with 325 primary school students.
Nearly a quarter of the students thought their money will never be used up (23%), and 18% said they believed their parents’ income will not change after retirement. In addition, over half (57%) are not sure about how much they spent on average in a month. Close to two-thirds (62%) said they are not sure about the balance of their digital wallet and a third (33%) did not even know where the money in their digital wallet comes from.
In addition, the survey indicates a need to educate the students about the importance of savings for the future. Close to a third (29%) said they do not know how to save money. More than a half said their parents have not talked to them about their retirement plan (57%) and their source of income after retirement (57%).
Josephine Lee, Chief Executive Officer of St. James’ Settlement, said: “We can see there’s a clear need to help the next generation develop their financial literacy if they are to smoothly navigate the hybrid world without undue risk or loss. We look forward to continuing our work with Manulife to benefit the wider community and prepare young people to be able to manage financially in the future.”
C.C.C. Chuen Yuen First Primary School was one of first schools to join the pilot in March, along with Ching Chung Hau Po Woon Primary School. Commenting on the pilot phase of the program earlier this year, Zhow Wong Ying, student at C.C.C. Chuen Yuen First Primary School, said: “I looked forward to the lessons because they were very inspiring and a lot of fun, particularly the virtual reality activities. I learned about why and how to save money, and am trying to do that with my pocket money.”
Hashtag: #Manulife
About Manulife Hong Kong
Manulife Hong Kong, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited. As a member of the Manulife group of companies, Manulife Hong Kong offers a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individual and corporate customers in Hong Kong and Macau.
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33 million customers. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.
Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.
About St. James’ Settlement
Founded by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall of the Anglican Church in 1949, St. James’ Settlement began as a club for boys and girls in a temple in Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai. Our first centre outside Wanchai (named Central and Western District Elderly Community Centre) was established in 1990. Since then, different service centres have been developed and most of them are located along the north coast of Hong Kong Island, from The Belcher’s in Western to Hing Wah Estate in Chai Wan. In recent years, in view of the society’s ever changing needs, we have opened service centres in Kowloon and the New Territories. To date, our 73 service points are in operation across Hong Kong. By the end of September 2021, we have over 1,800 staff members to provide a vast range of high quality services for people of different ages and needs. In the past year, around 1,000 volunteers have helped in different service units.
In 2020-2021, St. James’ Settlement served more than 2.2 million person-times, and our target beneficiaries include children, teenagers, families, the elderly and people with disabilities. We provide a broad spectrum of services ranging from community support to residential care.
Laos Judo Athlete Wins Bronze in International Judo Championship

A member of the Lao judo team has taken home a bronze medal at the Thailand International Judo Championship 2022 in Chiang Rai on Saturday.
Free Course Offered for Responsible Elephant-based Tourism
Asian Captive Elephant Standards (ACES) is inviting the travel industry and consumers to complete a free online course to help raise awareness about captive elephant welfare and responsible tourism practice in southeast Asia.
Meth Pills Seized by Laos Police in One of its Biggest Busts
A whopping haul of 33 million tablets along with 500 Kg (1,100 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine has been confiscated by authorities in Laos, in their third largest seizure ever of methamphetamine.
OTELLO CECI BRUT:The brut sparkling wine from the Ceci winery is enveloped in a riot of colours

The new Otello Ceci Brut dresses the original Otello bottle – with its sleek, sinuous shape, the first bottle with a square base – in vibrant colour. The iridescent metallic shades explore the full colour spectrum including red, yellow, bright blue, purple, green and light blue, a total of 8 versions.
Otello Ceci Brut adds a dynamic touch to the bold colour choices of its “outfit” with the holographic printing on the labels that change colour with movement and in the light. Otello Ceci’s distinctive square label celebrates simplicity in its design, emphasising the name of the wine and the winery logo.
CECI 1938 draws on the vital energy of colour to share its message of positivity and joie de vivre. The elegant charm of brut sparkling wine is enhanced by the vibrant colours of the bottles. Choosing a wine becomes a stylistic choice, a way to express your individual taste and personality. The table is alight with colour, cheer, conviviality and emotion.
CECI 1938 uses Pinot Bianco grapes to produce a sparkling wine with a pale straw-yellow colour and an elegant, persistent sparkle.
Served at a recommended temperature of 6-8°, Otello Ceci Brut sparkling wine is a well-structured beverage with floral and fruity notes on the palate, complemented by a distinct minerality.
On the nose, delicate, elegant white floral notes such as jasmine, hawthorn and aromatic herbs emerge, leading to fruity, citrus and sweet scents.
Otello Ceci Brut sparkling wine is a youthful, on-trend choice ideal for an aperitif or to accompany a lunch or dinner.

Hashtag: #CECI
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Wealth Management Institute Aims For 5,000 Enrolments Into Its Family Office Programmes By 2025
In support of building a vibrant and high-calibre family office sector in Singapore, WMI to bolster support for capability building and talent development
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – At WMI’s inaugural Global-Asia Family Office Summit (GFO Summit) held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, WMI today announced its plans to augment its training and community building initiatives to pave the way for 5,000 enrollments of family office ecosystem participants into its programmes by 2025.

The strong growth in the number as well as the professionalisation of family offices in Singapore will trigger a corresponding demand for local talent with diverse skillsets: from investments to wealth planning, philanthropy, governance, and family office operations. Equipping family office principals, family office professionals, advisors and partners with the knowledge and expertise that are specific to the needs of family offices will be critical.
In the opening address at the GFO Summit, which will see over 450 participants from family offices from the region, as well as partners and advisors in the sector, WMI’s CEO Ms Foo Mee Har said, “Skilled talent will be the key enabler for the continued growth and development of family offices. The hunger and drive to learn and build expertise have been very evident. To serve the strong demand for capability building in the sector, WMI is gearing up to reach 5,000 enrolments into our family office programmes by 2025. We will press on in our efforts so that our learners can gain access to domain experts, changemakers, and distinguished global thought leaders.”
Supporting the Growth and Development of Singapore’s Family Office Talent and Network
Since 2020, WMI has had over 1,200 enrolments for family office-related programmes. In October 2021, it expanded beyond education into community building to launch the Global-Asia Family Office (GFO) Circle, with the support of EDB and MAS, to create a trusted environment for the family office ecosystem to build community, learn from each other, and access the latest thought leadership.
Since its inception, the GFO Circle has received strong support from family offices and the broader ecosystem. The GFO Circle serves the ecosystem across family principals, family office professionals, advisors and partners.
Leading partners to the family office ecosystem have come together to form the founding cohort of 14 Corporate Members, who will work with WMI on initiatives to build deeper pools of expertise in the sector as a whole. These founding Corporate Members include Bank Julius Baer & Co, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, DBS Bank, Dentons Rodyk, Ernst & Young, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, KPMG in Singapore, LGT Private Banking, Schroders, UBS, Withersworldwide, WongPartnership, and Zedra Trust Company (Singapore).
The Inaugural GFO Summit as a Key Initiative
The GFO Summit is organised by WMI and brings together leading family offices, advisors and thought leaders from Asia, the US, Europe and around the world, to learn from each other and address topics across investments, family office leadership and social impact.
The Summit has drawn a diverse pool of participants across family offices, private banking, wealth management, asset management, trusts, legal, tax, estate planning, philanthropy advisory and professional services. The agenda features sharing by leading family offices as well as thought leaders from around the world from sovereign wealth funds, investment managers, university endowments, social change organisations, philanthropic foundations, private banks and family office advisors.
New Initiatives to Support Capability Building
To continue building capabilities in the sector, WMI’s programmes will cover a range of critical skill sets including investments and portfolio management, ESG, philanthropy, impact investing, trusts, governance, and family office leadership.
WMI will continue to partner with the industry to develop new research and tools that support purposeful wealth. For example, WMI will soon publish a Philanthropy Guide on Donor-Advised Funds, which is being co-developed by WMI and the Private Banking Industry Group.
In addition, WMI will launch a new applied thought leadership journal on family office topics, named WMI Impact to benefit the family office ecosystem in Singapore and beyond. WMI will share case studies, best practices and practical tools on in-demand topics such as investments, impact, entrepreneurship and governance.
“We have many exciting new initiatives in the pipeline to deepen the knowledge and expertise of Singapore’s talent pool to support the rapidly growing family office sector. We aim to play an active role through education and community building to seed new enterprise and innovation, make social impact, and further strengthen the family office ecosystem. We warmly welcome family offices to co-create with us a platform to collaborate, share best practices and build new capabilities,” added Ms Foo.
Commenting on the initiatives, Mr Lim Chow Kiat, Chairman of WMI and CEO of GIC said, “We are living through changing times, with profound uncertainties on multiple fronts. We need innovative solutions and creative capital to solve the many issues facing us. Family offices, with their higher flexibility and agility compared to institutional capital, can make a decisive contribution. I look forward to WMI’s initiatives in empowering family offices with the skills, knowledge and capabilities to take bold actions towards purposeful wealth in Singapore and Asia.”
Hashtag: #WealthManagementInstitute #WMI
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About WMI
Established in 2003, the Wealth Management Institute (WMI) is committed to building capabilities for investing in a better tomorrow. Founded by GIC and Temasek, our vision is to be Asia’s Centre of Excellence for wealth and asset management education and research. WMI is appointed as Singapore’s Lead Training Provider for Private Banking by the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF) and supported by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). WMI also helms the Global-Asia Family Office Circle, a network platform that fosters a trusted environment to build capabilities and community in the space of family office.
WMI provides a comprehensive suite of practice-based certification and diploma programmes and collaborates with leading universities for master’s qualifications. With over 18,000 annual enrolments, WMI provides training in asset management, wealth management, compliance, risk management, family office, family business, as well as the development of the next generation across more than 100 programmes.
About the Private Banking Industry Group
The Private Banking Industry Group comprises senior industry leaders and representatives from the private banking industry. It was re-constituted from the Private Banking Advisory Group in 2011, with the support of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to further strengthen the competency and market conduct standards of the private banking industry in Singapore.
The Private Banking Industry Group is currently co-chaired by Monetary Authority of Singapore and UBS AG. The Private Banking Industry Group Executive Committee comprises the Association of Banks Singapore (ABS) and 14 banks.