4 Cebu graduates top CPA exams

CEBU, Philippines -  University of San Carlos graduate Kenneth Jefferson Un Uy did not expect to pass the recent Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination.

But more than passing the May 13 exam, the result released yesterday revealed he landed seventh place with a 92.00 score.

Uy, two other USC graduates and a graduate from University of San Jose-Recoletos are among the exam passers in the top 10.

USC also emerged as the top performing school with 60 out of the 71 board takers passing the exam, garnering an 83.33 passing percentage.

“For me, the exam was very difficult. I did not even feel comfortable to pass. It was generally okay, but I’m not confident with other subjects to reach 65 percent,” Uy, who just graduated last March, told The FREEMAN.

Based on Sec. 16 of Philippine Accountancy Act of 2004, in order to pass the examination, an examinee must obtain a general average of 75 percent, with no grades lower than 65 percent in any given subject.

Uy learned of the result while he was at a dental clinic before lunchtime yesterday. He was very surprised and was thankful for even being among the topnotchers.

“I attribute my success to my faith in God, hard work, and the discipline brought by my parents,” he said. Days before the exam, the 21-year-old visited churches and lighted candles.

For his plans, Uy said he would sit down with his parents who are thinking of leaving the family’s general merchandise business to him.

The two other Carolinians who made it to the top 10 were Gianna Tan Chua (fourth place) with a score of 92.57 and Shearilynn Lim Go (10th place) with a score of 91.57.

Chua shared the third spot with Monique Kris Florante Villaflor of the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila while Go also shared the 10th spot with Raymund Tinamisan of the Manuel S. Enverga Univ. Foundation-Lucena City.

Go, for her part, was also surprised of the result of the exams, which she considered very stressful.

“For now I will just relax a bit because of my stressful experience. Thanks God I will no longer need to find work because as early as today, there are already offers,” Go said.

Last Monday night, she fell asleep while waiting for the result, which was released at 11 p.m. She was awakened at 12:30 a.m., discovering 21 missed calls and several text messages from her relatives and friends congratulating her.

Like Uy, Go went to the church and prayed hard for the exams.

Edmond Emperio of the USJ-R also grabbed the ninth spot along with Sherald Winchel Pintacasi Ang of the University of the Immaculate Conception-Davao, both garnering a 91.71 score.

USJ-R got a 67.53 passing percentage with 52 out of 77 passed the exams.

Manuel Pillora Buensuceso of San Beda College topped the exam with the score of 94.86.

Second was Kathrine Rose Co Catindig of the University of Santo Tomas (94.43); Grace Menor Albunian of TIP-Manila (93.00), 3rd; and Richard Lei Paciencia Cañete of Eastern Visayas State University-Tacloban and Bonvin Go Nuqui of De La Salle University-Manila (92.43), 5th.

Benson Pabiona Kotah of Chiang Kai Shek College and Rowell Canda Marasigan, (92.14), placed 6th; Jessica Jean Galoso Gandeza of the University of the Philippines-Diliman (91.86), 8th; and Go and Tinamisan, 10th.

According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), 1,995 out of 5,315 passed the Examination given by the Board of Accountancy in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Legazpi this May. -/LPM (FREEMAN)