JOHN HANCOCK DECLARATION TRUST
Supplement to Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information dated May 1,
1998.
The name of John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Bond Fund has been changed to John
Hancock V.A. Bond Fund, effective October 1, 1998.
On pages 18 and 19, the "Organization and Management of the Funds" has been
changed as follows:
V.A. Emerging Growth Fund
Bernice S. Behar, CFA, leads the fund's portfolio management team. Other team
members are managers Laura Allen, CFA and Anurag Pandit, CFA. Ms. Behar, senior
vice president, has been in the investment business since 1986 and has managed
the fund since 1996. Ms. Allen, senior vice president has been in the investment
business since 1981 and joined the fund's management team in 1998. Mr. Pandit,
vice president, has been in the investment business since 1984 and a member of
the fund's team since 1996.
John Hancock V.A. Bond Fund
Mr. James K. Ho, CFA, leads the Fund's portfolio management team and has been
primarily responsible for the management of the Fund since its inception. Mr.
Ho, an executive vice president, has been associated with the Adviser since 1985
and in the investment business since 1977. Other team members since 1998 are Mr.
Anthony A. Goodchild and Mr. Benjamin A. Matthews, vice presidents, who have
been associated with the Adviser since 1994 and 1995, respectively, and have
been in the investment business for thirty and twenty-five years, respectively.
John Hancock V.A. World Bond Fund
Fred Cavanaugh, Jr., Anthony A. Goodchild and James K. Ho lead the fund's
portfolio management team. Mr. Cavanaugh and Mr. Ho have been members of the
team since 1998 and Mr. Goodchild since inception. Mr. Cavanaugh, senior vice
president, has been in the investment business since 1973 and joined the Adviser
in 1986. Mr. Goodchild, senior vice president, has been in the investment
business since 1968 and joined the Adviser in 1994. Mr. Ho, executive vice
president, has been in the investment business since 1977 and joined the Adviser
in 1985.
September 25, 1998
VA0PS 9/98
