May 4, 1998
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: John Hancock Declaration Trust
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John Hancock V.A. International Fund
John Hancock V.A. Financial Industries Fund
John Hancock V.A. Emerging Growth Fund
John Hancock V.A. Growth & Income Fund
John Hancock V.A. Growth Fund
John Hancock V.A. High Yield Bond Fund
John Hancock V.A. Independence Equity Fund
John Hancock V.A. Regional Bank Fund
John Hancock V.A. Special Opportunities Fund
John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund
John Hancock V.A. 500 Index Fund
John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Bond Fund
John Hancock V.A. Strategic Income Fund
John Hancock V.A. World Bond Fund
John Hancock V.A. Money Market Fund
CERTIFICATE UNDER RULE 497(j)
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to 497(j) of Regulation C, under the Securities Act of 1933, in lieu of
filing under paragraph (b) or (c) of Rule 497, I hereby certify that the form of
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information dated May 1, 1998 for the
above-captioned registrants that would have been filed under paragraph (b) or
(c) of Rule 497(j) does not differ from that contained in the most recent
registration statement amendment and the text of most recent registration
statement has been filed electronically.
Sincerely,
/s/Marily Lutzer
Marilyn Lutzer