John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund Declares Monthly Dividend

John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund Declares Monthly
Dividend 


BOSTON, Nov. 24  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Patriot Preferred
Dividend Fund (NYSE:PPF) declared its monthly dividend today as follows:

   Declaration Date:   November 24, 2004
   Ex Date:            December 6, 2004
   Record Date:        December 8, 2004
   Payment Date:       December 31, 2004
   Dividend Amount:    $0.0720



This dividend equates to an annualized yield of 6.50 percent, based on the
fund's closing market price as of November 23, 2004.

John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund is a diversified, closed-end fund.
The Fund's investment objective is to provide high current income consistent
with preservation of capital. The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in a
diversified portfolio of dividend-paying securities.

John Hancock Funds, a premier investment management company, managed
approximately $29 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private
accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and
institutional investors as of September 30, 2004. Additional information about
the company can be found on the website: http://www.jhfunds.com/.

John Hancock Funds is a wholly owned subsidiary of John Hancock Financial
Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation. Founded in
1862, John Hancock Financial Services and its subsidiaries today offer a broad
range of financial products and services, including whole, term, variable, and
universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, mutual funds,
fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance and various forms of
business insurance.

Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving
millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as
Manulife Financial in Canada and most of Asia, and primarily through John
Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of
financial protection products and wealth management services through its
extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under
management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$346 billion
(US$274 billion) as at September 30, 2004.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and
under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at
http://www.manulife.com/. 

DATASOURCE: John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund



CONTACT: Kimberley Dietrich, [phone], or Investors:

[phone], both of John Hancock



Web Site: http://www.jhfunds.com/

http://www.manulife.com/

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