------------------------------
                               UNITED STATES                                OMB APPROVAL
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION             ------------------------------
                          Washington, D.C. 20549                   OMB Number 3235-0145
                                                                   ------------------------------
                                                                   Expires:   February 28, 2009
                                                                   ------------------------------
                                                                   Estimated average burden
                                                                   hours per response . . . 11


                              INITIAL SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                             Independent Bank Corp.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                  Common Stock
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    453836108
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                December 31, 2006
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

        |x|       Rule 13d-1(b)

                  Rule 13d-1(c)

                  Rule 13d-1(d)


*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).








                                PAGE 1 OF 9 PAGES





----------------------                                    ---------------------
CUSIP No. 453836108                 13G                   Page  2  of  9  Pages
----------------------                                    ---------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        
    1      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only).

           Manulife Financial Corporation

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*      (a)  |_|
                                                                  (b)  |_|
           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3      SEC USE ONLY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Canada

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       5     SOLE VOTING POWER

                             -0-
                       --------------------------------------------------------
    Number of          6     SHARED VOTING POWER
      Shares
   Beneficially              -0-
     Owned by          --------------------------------------------------------
       Each            7     SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    Reporting
      Person                 -0-
       With            --------------------------------------------------------
                       8     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                             -0-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          None,  except  through its indirect,  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  MFC
          Global Investment  Management (U.S.A.) Limited, John Hancock Advisers,
          LLC and MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.), LLC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

          N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

          See line 9 above.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

          HC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
                                PAGE 2 OF 9 PAGES





----------------------                                    ---------------------
CUSIP No. 453836108                 13G                   Page  3  of  9  Pages
----------------------                                    ---------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        
    1      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only).

           MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.A.) Limited

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*      (a)  |_|
                                                                  (b)  |_|
           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3      SEC USE ONLY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Canada
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       5     SOLE VOTING POWER

                             6,037
                       --------------------------------------------------------
    Number of          6     SHARED VOTING POWER
      Shares
   Beneficially              -0-
     Owned by          --------------------------------------------------------
       Each            7     SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    Reporting
      Person                 6,037
       With            ---------------------------------------------------------
                       8     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                             -0-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           6,037
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           0.04%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           IA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
                                PAGE 3 OF 9 PAGES






----------------------                                    ---------------------
CUSIP No. 453836108                 13G                   Page  4  of  9  Pages
----------------------                                    ---------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        
    1      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only).

           John Hancock Advisers, LLC

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*      (a)  |_|
                                                                  (b)  |_|
           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3      SEC USE ONLY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Delaware
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       5     SOLE VOTING POWER

                             -0-
                       --------------------------------------------------------
    Number of          6     SHARED VOTING POWER
      Shares
   Beneficially              735,000
     Owned by          --------------------------------------------------------
       Each            7     SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    Reporting
      Person                 -0-
       With            ---------------------------------------------------------
                       8     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                             735,000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           735,000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           5.0%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           IA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
                                PAGE 4 OF 9 PAGES





----------------------                                    ---------------------
CUSIP No. 453836108                 13G                   Page  5  of  9  Pages
----------------------                                    ---------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        
    1      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
           I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only).

           MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.), LLC

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*      (a)  |_|
                                                                  (b)  |_|
           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3      SEC USE ONLY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

           Delaware
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       5     SOLE VOTING POWER

                             -0-
                       --------------------------------------------------------
    Number of          6     SHARED VOTING POWER
      Shares
   Beneficially              735,000
     Owned by          --------------------------------------------------------
       Each            7     SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    Reporting
      Person                 -0-
       With            ---------------------------------------------------------
                       8     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                             735,000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           735,000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

           N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           5.0%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           IA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
                                PAGE 5 OF 9 PAGES




Attention:  Intentional  misstatements  or omissions of fact constitute  Federal
            criminal violations (See 18 U.S.C. 1001)

   Item 1(a)    Name of Issuer:
                Independent Bank Corp.

   Item 1(b)    Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
                288 Union Street
                Rockland, Massachusetts 02370

   Item 2(a)    Name of Person Filing:
                This filing is made on behalf of Manulife Financial  Corporation
                ("MFC"),  and MFC's  indirect,  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  MFC
                Global  Investment  Management  (U.S.A.) Limited ("MFC Global"),
                John  Hancock  Advisers,  LLC ("JHA") and MFC Global  Investment
                Management (U.S.), LLC ("MFC Global (U.S.)").

   Item 2(b)    Address of the Principal Offices:
                The principal business offices of MFC and MFC Global are located
                at 200 Bloor Street,  East, Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada, M4W 1E5;
                JHA is located at 601  Congress  Street,  Boston,  Massachusetts
                02210;  and MFC  Global  (U.S.)  is  located  at 101  Huntington
                Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02199.

   Item 2(c)    Citizenship:
                MFC and MFC Global  are  organized  and exist  under the laws of
                Canada.
                JHA and MFC Global (U.S.) are organized and exist under the laws
                of the State of Delaware.

   Item 2(d)    Title of Class of Securities:
                Common Stock

   Item 2(e)    CUSIP Number:
                453836108

   Item 3       If the Statement is being filed  pursuant to Rule  13d-1(b),  or
                13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:

                MFC:     (g) (X) Parent  Holding  Company,  in accordance  with
                                 ss.240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G).

                MFC
                Global:  (e) (X) Investment  Adviser registered under ss.203 of
                                 the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

                JHA:     (e) (X) Investment  Adviser registered under ss.203 of
                                 the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

                MFC Global
                (U.S.):  (e) (X) Investment  Adviser registered under ss.203 of
                                 the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

   Item 4       Ownership:

                (a) Amount   Beneficially   Owned:  MFC  Global  has  beneficial
                    ownership  of 6,037  shares of Common  Stock and JHA and MFC
                    Global  (U.S.) each have  beneficial  ownership  of the same
                    735,000    shares   of    Common    Stock.    Through    its
                    parent-subsidiary  relationship  to MFC Global,  JHA and MFC
                    Global  (U.S.),   MFC  may  be  deemed  to  have  beneficial
                    ownership of these same shares.


                                PAGE 6 OF 9 PAGES


               (b)  Percent of Class: Of the 14,682,918 shares outstanding as of
                    November 1, 2006, according to the issuer's quarterly report
                    on form 10-Q for the period ended  September  30, 2006,  MFC
                    Global  held .04% and JHA and MFC  Global  (U.S.)  each held
                    5.0%. The aggregate  percentage held as of December 31, 2006
                    (after  eliminating  double  counting  as a result of shared
                    investment or voting  discretion)  by all reporting  persons
                    was 5.0%.

               (c) Number of shares as to which the person has:

                   (i)  sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
                        MFC  Global  has  sole  power to vote or to  direct  the
                        voting of the  shares of  Common  Stock it  beneficially
                        owns.

                   (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
                        JHA and MFC Global  (U.S.) each has shared power to vote
                        or to direct the  voting of the  shares of Common  Stock
                        beneficially owned by each of them.

                   (iii)sole power to dispose or  to direct the disposition of:
                        MFC  Global  has sole  power to dispose or to direct the
                        disposition   of  the   shares   of   Common   Stock  it
                        beneficially owns.

                   (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                        JHA and MFC  Global  (U.S.)  each  has  shared  power to
                        dispose  or to direct the  disposition  of the shares of
                        Common Stock beneficially owned by each of them.

   Item 5       Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
                Not applicable.

   Item 6       Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:
                Not applicable.

   Item 7       Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which
                Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
                Company:
                See Items 3 and 4 above.

   Item 8       Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
                Not applicable.

   Item 9       Notice of Dissolution of a Group:
                Not applicable.

   Item 10      Certification:
                By signing below the undersigned certifies that, to the best of
                its knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were
                acquired  and are held in the  ordinary  course of business and
                were not  acquired  and are not held for the purpose of or with
                the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer
                of the  securities  and were not  acquired  and are not held in
                connection with or as a participant in any  transaction  having
                that purpose or effect.


                             PAGE 7 OF 9 PAGES


                                 SIGNATURE

    After reasonable  inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief,  each
of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is
true, complete and correct.


                                Manulife Financial Corporation


                                By:      /s/ Scott A. Lively
                                Name:    Scott A. Lively
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   Attorney in Fact*


                                MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.A) Limited


                                By:      /s/ Gordon Pansegrau
                                Name:    Gordon Pansegrau
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   General Counsel, Chief Compliance
                                         Officer & Secretary


                                John Hancock Advisers, LLC


                                By:      /s/ Francis V. Knox Jr.
                                Name:    Francis V. Knox Jr.
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   Vice President and Chief Compliance
                                         Officer


                                MFC Global Investment Management (U.S), LLC


                                By:      /s/ Francis V. Knox Jr.
                                Name:    Francis V. Knox Jr.
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   Vice President and Chief Compliance
                                         Officer


* Signed  pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 31, 2007 included as an
  Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission by
  Manulife Financial Corporation on February 1, 2007.


                                PAGE 8 OF 9 PAGES


EXHIBIT A
                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------

     Manulife Financial  Corporation,  MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.A.)
Limited, John Hancock Advisers, LLC and MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.),
LLC agree that the Initial  Schedule  13G to which this  Agreement  is attached,
relating to the Common Stock of  Independent  Bank Corp.,  is filed on behalf of
each of them.


                                Manulife Financial Corporation


                                By:      /s/ Scott A. Lively
                                Name:    Scott A. Lively
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   Attorney in Fact*


                                MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.A) Limited


                                By:      /s/ Gordon Pansegrau
                                Name:    Gordon Pansegrau
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   General Counsel, Chief Compliance
                                         Officer & Secretary


                                John Hancock Advisers, LLC


                                By:      /s/ Francis V. Knox Jr.
                                Name:    Francis V. Knox Jr.
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   Vice President and Chief Compliance
                                         Officer


                                MFC Global Investment Management (U.S), LLC


                                By:      /s/ Francis V. Knox Jr.
                                Name:    Francis V. Knox Jr.
Dated: February 7, 2007         Title:   Vice President and Chief Compliance
                                         Officer


* Signed  pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 31, 2007 included as an
  Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission by
  Manulife Financial Corporation on February 1, 2007.


                                PAGE 9 OF 9 PAGES