LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

SLU grad in Baguio tops CPA board
MARCH L. FIANZA

A graduate of a university in Baguio City run by the Roman Catholic Church topped the licensure examination for certified public accountants nationwide this October.

Richard Serrano, 25 of Saint Louis University, a “quiet whiz kid” who dreamt of numbers, said he was still “in a state of shock.”

Serrano said he did not expect to top the examinations, besting thousands of other examiners.

“I got sick during the start of the two-weekend examinations,” Serrano told newsmen. “I was shivering inside the testing center.”

Serrano was a consistent dean’s lister and graduated magna cum laude last April in both Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (major in financial management).

Serrano said his success was due to his father, Joe Antonio, mother Myrna and aunt, teacher Evelyn Gabot, who supported him all the way.

Upon learning of Serrano’s feat, four top accounting firms in Metro Manila reportedly offered him a job, but Serrano said they still have to talk about the proposals.

Only 37 percent of the 6,213 takers passed the exam in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Legazpi, the Professional Regulation Commission bared.

Heading the list of the 2,299 successful examinees was Serrano who got a rating of 94.57 percent, followed by Michael Tomon of Far Eastern University-Manila, 93.29 percent and Denmar Cantillas, University of Southern Philippines, 93.14 percent.

Following the rating in order were Michelle Rojo, University of the Philippines-Visayas-Iloilo City, 932 percent; Erickson Quijano, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 92.86 percent; Genghis Gorospe, University of Santo Tomas, 92.71 percent; John Demson Parumong, Far Eastern University-Manila, 92.43 percent; Joan Jaclyn Lao, De La Salle University-Manila, 92.29 percent; Albert Bon, PUP-Main-Sta. Mesa, 92.14 percent; Michelle Razon, Tarlac State University (Tarlac College of Technology) 92.14; and Richmond Reyes, PUP-Main-Sta. Mesa, 92 percent.

PRC officials said the top performing schools based on the number of their examinees and passers were the University of Santo Tomas; Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Main-Sta. Mesa; Xavier University; De La Salle University-Manila; University of the Philippines-Visayas-Iloilo City; San Beda College; University of the Philippines-Diliman; University of St. La Salle; Mariano Marcos State University of Northern Philippines-Vigan and Siliman University.

The board passers will take their oath before the Board of Accountancy on Nov. 20 at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center