About PLIA
Safeguarding Futures. Strengthening the Nation.
The pulse of the Philippine life insurance industry since 1950.
What we do
Think of us as the industry’s guiding light. We set the standards that keep your investments safe through three core pillars:
We work with lawmakers to ensure insurance policies are fair and future-ready.
We make sure that our member companies operate with the highest level of ethics.
We inform Filipinos on the value of insurance so more can build a financial safety net.
Who we are
We are a community of 32 member companies working together to strengthen the nation’s financial health. While our names have changed since 1950, our mission to protect Filipino families has remained the same.
A legacy of evolution and growth
Our journey began in 1950, evolving from the Philippine Association of Life Assurance Companies (PALAC) to the Life Insurance Companies Association of the Philippines, and finally to the PLIA you know today.
We bring together the sharpest minds in the industry to build a stable, reliable market that works for everyone.
We collaborate with the Insurance Commission (IC) to ensure the industry meets global benchmarks for stability and total transparency.
1980: PALAC is officially registered with the SEC.
1985–1987: LICAP is formed, then renamed to LIAP.
1989: LIAP and PALAC merge to create PLIA, uniting the life insurance industry.
1995–2000: Major global insurers enter: Aetna, Jardine CMG, ING, Pru, Zurich, Generali, Sony Life, AXA, New York Life, Nippon, MetLife.
2002: Variable Life (VUL) products are introduced, combining protection and investment.
2009: PLIA membership becomes mandatory (IC CL 2009-24).
2010: Microinsurance launched (IC IMC 2010-01); RA 10001 cuts premium tax from 5% to 2%
2014: E-commerce guidelines introduced (IC CL 2014-47).
2015–2016: Bancassurance rules (IC CL 2015-20), conglomerate structure (IC CL 2016-53), and Medical Information Database (IC CL 2016-54) launched for better risk management.
2020: Remote selling is institutionalized (IC CL 2020-109).
2022: Takaful (Islamic insurance) introduced (IC CL 2022-04).
2023: Financial Consumer Protection Act takes effect (IC IMC 2023-01).
2025: Another IFRS17 extension to 2027 (IC CL 2025-04).
PLIA celebrates its 75th anniversary — decades of protecting Filipino lives!
2026 Board of Directors
Sjoerd Smeets
President
(Eastwest Ageas)
Dr. Jose Enrique Delas Peñas
Vice President
(Manila Bankers Life)
Amy Gochuico
Treasurer
(Manulife China Bank)
Geraldine Desiderio – Garcia
Secretary
(Country Bankers Life)
Ayman Kandil
Director
(AXA Philippines)
Peter Coyiuto
Director
(First Life)
Emma Abad
Director
(Fortune Life)
Raoul Antionio Littaua
Director
(Insular Life)
Rebecca Dela Cruz
Director
(MoneeInsure Life)
Rahul Hora
Ex-Officio Director
(Manulife)