Threading the Unknown, for the Better!

Few years ago, I remember our instructor told us to write our goals for the next 2-3 years in a small sheet of paper. I wrote all my goals as if I am going to attain those no matter what happens and I believe all the rest did the same. As we are about to pass our ambitious paper, I became curious on what my seatmate wrote on her paper and I asked her if we could exchange our papers and see each other’s goals. She excitingly gave her paper as if that paper has the most ambitious goal. As I read her paper, I was amazed with her goals: “I want to have a twitter account and Instagram account”. So as I was about to return her paper, She rigorously questioned my goals, and asked “Are you serious with your goals? It should be realistic!” In my mind, well, it’s realistic for me! I just smiled and passed my paper to our teacher.

Passing the CPA boards was the only aim I had in mind at that time. It already felt like it was a treacherous mountain that is hard to climb. My mind was fixed on that goal alone.

One day, I met Mr Angel V. Secerio, the IMA-Philippines President. He presented to me an international accounting credential that I couldn’t even imagine of achieving. My dreams were so small at that time that I reluctantly refused his offer of assistance. I can’t see myself taking that prestigious credential. But he stretched my mind and articulated the principle “Think big, aim high”. My mind got transformed and I began to prepare to take two (2) certification examinations, in the same year and in the same month (Oct. 2016).

I found it extremely helpful to have someone to look up to as I search for my own success path. This mentor changed the way I think about life, imparting to me lessons that are beyond the four corners of academic boundaries.

The path I chose was a road less traveled. It was never easy; I sometimes had doubts and constantly questioned myself during those times: Why am I doing this, when I could have just reviewed for the CPA boards and focus on that alone? I thought I placed myself in unnecessary greater risk. Negativity popped in my head: What if I would fail the two exams because my mind was divided? But there’s nothing I can do at that time but to take the dare. Months have passed, prepared myself twice as hard but I still felt I was not ready, I was afraid. But fears must be faced and I already worked really hard for it.

Back to the story, 2-3 years came to pass. I believe my former classmate I alluded to at the start of my story also managed to achieve her goals, and so are my “idealistic” goals. By God’s abundant grace alone, I passed the Certified Public Accountant Board examination and ultimately the 2-part Certified Management Accountant international examination in the same year.

We can achieve the goals that we aspire for. The only things that would differ us are the size of our dreams, the desire to pursue and believing that we are equipped with sufficient skills to achieve them in God’s wonderful time. The author of life revealed this truth to us when he said in the book of Mark “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

From this journey, there are two notions I started to live by: (1) Be the person who would always see things beyond trials and failure, and (2) Make things happen.

Sometimes we only need someone to believe in us when we can’t even believe in ourselves. And I am telling you, if I can do it, so can you… Yes, much more than that!

About the Author:

Marko Patino Alejandro, CPA, CMA, is a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy graduate of Ateneo de Zamboanga University last March, 2016. He currently works as an audit associate in one of the Big 4 auditing firms in the Philippines.

The Opportunity

I was 4th yr. college at the University of Santo Tomas taking BS Management Accounting. It was a normal day at school. No quizzes, no events, just classroom discussions. I was outside of our classroom when I learned that one of the professors was discussing about the CMA program.

From what I learned, we just have to take an exam prepared to see if we were qualified for what they called back then as the first “Elite Batch”.

A few days after thinking about it, I gave it a try. I spent some nights reviewing the materials given. What’s fun was only a few people knew that I would take the exam.

Exam day came, some of my friends were surprised that I took the exam. Let me tell you that the exam was the first 100 item exam I have ever taken, and it was really difficult. I didn’t expect to get a passing score. I even placed a bet with my friends that if ever I passed I would treat them with pizza.

Back to normal but with a lot of quizzes now. I didn’t expect the results to come out soon because of the workload of the professors during quizzes. Until one weekend morning, I woke up with my phone bombarded with “Congratulations!”  When I learned that I placed first in that list of passers I ran and screamed towards my parents to show them my achievement.

I was happy and most of my friends were happy for me, then I remembered that I had to buy pizza. Anyway, because of the results I was able to convince my parents to enroll me in the certification program.

The journey to be a Certified Management Accountant is a very challenging task. I had to sacrifice some time to do stuff I wanted to prioritize what I needed to do.

The most memorable for me though was my exam month. It was June 2017. My exams were scheduled on the 2nd and 4th week. Our graduation was on the first week of June, so I wasn’t able to enjoy graduation as early as my batch mates did. I remembered sacrificing going out with friends to study every day to prepare for the exams. It was the most challenging thing I did for the certification.

In the end, it was worth it. I received the results in August 2017 and I passed the two-part exam.

Now, I’m a financial consultant of an insurance company and because of my certification I can provide better insight and added value to my clients. I’m on my way to managership and making my family very proud.

To the readers, make it a goal to learn from the certification program rather than achieve the title, it is this way that all your sacrifices and journey will be truly worth it and really useful in the workforce.

Good luck and God bless!

About the Author: 

Aldwyn Jan T. Gonzales graduated BS Management Accounting at The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas batch 2017. He passed the CMA Examination for both parts in the June 2017 testing window. He is now a financial consultant in one of the world’s leading life insurance companies.

Comeback is Real!

As an avid player of video and computer games, the phrase “comeback is real” is never new to me. For us, gamers, it is just an expression we use whenever we get in a situation of seemingly losing the battle but in the later part, we get on top of our game even to a point of achieving victory. But, that’s just in the virtual world. Little did I know I would actually apply that phrase in my real life.

Last October 2016, I took the CPA Board Examinations and unfortunately, I failed one subject, Taxation. I was so devastated and frustrated with myself. Even if it was only one subject, I still wasn’t able to achieve the CPA title. I had so many plans and dreams but all went down the drain, along with my self-esteem.

But being an optimistic and competitive person, I eventually regained my composure and started thinking of how to pick myself up. Of course, I decided to retake Taxation on the next CPA boards season but because of my failure, I was much more driven and eager. I aimed higher. I wanted to become better. Then I remembered receiving a text after the CPA results came out from a senior of mine in college, now a CPA, who happens to be gamer as well. He encouraged me to stay positive despite what happened and his last line was “sabi nga sa DotA, comeback is real.” So, I told myself, if I really want to make a comeback, better make it flashy.

Then an idea struck me. Ever since in my college years, I had this plan of becoming a CMA but at that time, I was not so serious about it because I was focused on becoming a CPA first. So I thought, “Why not take CMA exam now? Maybe the reason why I didn’t pass the boards because I am made for something bigger and maybe this is it.”

So I started researching about how to become a CMA. And I have to admit, I have almost given up on the goal because it was very intimidating and I didn’t know how the process works or how or where to start. But it seems God really wanted me to continue because when I was so lost, He made a way.

I suddenly remembered that my high school batchmate who graduated college from UST posted on facebook sometime in April 2016 that she passed the CMA exam. So I stalked her fb account and saw that post. There, I found Insights Financial Review Services, the approved CMA course provider in the Philippines. I immediately sent a friend request and after a few minutes, got accepted. Then the Insights account sent me a message. I took the opportunity to express my interest about taking the CMA exam. They asked for my phone number and called me. The person on the other end of the line explained everything to me about CMA. And the funny thing was, throughout the conversation, I didn’t know who I was talking to. So when we were just about to finish, I asked for his name. And it was Sir Angel Secerio.

After the phone call, I was filled with awe. Not only because I actually talked with the managing director of Insights himself but also because I felt that God had indeed sent an angel to let me know that this is where I’m meant to be, that I’m really destined to become a CMA.

Eventually, I discussed my plans with my parents and they were very supportive of my endeavor. Not long after, I started my review in Makati.

My CMA journey had its own ups and downs. There were times that I was very determined and ready to take on anything but there were also instances that I felt so pressured and stressed. Maybe it was because the CPA boards traumatized me. I didn’t want to experience failure again. But with the help of constant prayer, our mentors and my newfound friends, I was able to cope up with the challenge. Then came February 2017, I had taken CMA Part 1 and Part 2 exams. Then it was in April when I received an email from IMA re my exam scores. Finally, by God’s grace, I passed both parts of the CMA examination.

As of writing, I am also done retaking my taxation and just waiting for the results, positive and hopeful.

So you see, in life, some things don’t go according to your plan. There will be times that you think everything is just so wrong, so out of place. But always have faith in yourself and in God, for He said: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And when you fail, stumble and fall down, get up and say “comeback is real!”

About the Author:

Li-Anne M. Serrano is a 2016 graduate of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy at the Bicol University. Out to prove her true worth, she took the 2-Part CMA examination in Feb. 2017 with under four months exam preparation.

Turning Vision into Reality

During my undergrad years, I was really thinking about getting another certification aside from the CPA. I wanted to differentiate myself from my batchmates. I did not want to be ordinary, I wanted to be someone different from the rest. I was really planning on getting the CMA certification because I really loved the management advisory services subject during college. The professors were good and they always made things interesting and I think that it was a factor on why I chose the CMA. They made me join accounting quiz bowls including those related management advisory services. I heard from my seniors that whoever wins the MAS quiz bowls will have a scholarship for the CMA exam but unfortunately for our batch, there was no such scholarship.

After my graduation and after passing the CPA board exam, I somehow forgot about the ambition of taking the CMA examination. I was thinking that I should just pursue the CPA path and forget about my other goal which is becoming a CMA. But somehow, I met Josh, the director for IMA Southeast Asia and Australasia, during my CPA oath taking. He talked me into being a CMA and the opportunities ahead of my young career. I can do many things by being a CPA, but the opportunities ahead of me if I become a CPA and a CMA will grow exponentially. One thing that pushed me into taking the certification is that it is a globally recognized certification which will really help me in the future.

I was quite hesitant at first to take the program because of the costs and I did not want to seek help from my family members but after a phone call with Sir Angel Secerio he provided a flexible payment plan and that’s when I decided to take the program last February 2018. Right from the get go, he told me that there is a huge chance that I will be able to go to the US if ever a bag an award for such exam. That really motivated me to do well in the exams.

Being able to balance work and studies is not an easy feat. I was always out of town for work and was not able to attend much of the reviews but the Insights team was very supportive of me. They would email me materials so that I can study more for the exams. They would let me take exams to test my abilities and if I am ready for the exam which really helped me prepare better especially for the essays since I am used to the multiple-choice questions in the board exam. I had an end in mind while preparing for the exam, by December 2018, I should already be a CMA passer. No matter the struggles in work, I always made it a priority to put in at least 3 hours per day on weekdays and 8 hours during weekends to study for the examinations. Repetition and a lot of reading has been tactic and covering as much materials as possible.

My thought process during those times was to study more to reap my benefits in the future. Looking back last December 13, one of my goals has been ticked off and better yet, I earned the gold medal. I am very thankful to Josh, Sir Angel and the whole Insights team, because without them, my dream of becoming a CMA will remain as that, a dream. My family also has been very supportive since day one. And most especially, I thank God for blessing me with this feat. With the right dedication, prayer, support and a little bit of luck, anything can happen. To aspiring CMAs, whenever you experience failures, don’t ever give up. I have personally experienced failing many times and I chose to get up. It has become my mantra that a setback is always a setup for a comeback.

About the Author:

Maaku Saito is a magna cum laude graduate from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. He earned his CPA title back in 2017, passing the tough May 2017 CPALE with a rating of 91.83%, the fourth highest in that examination. He is currently working in the most prestigious accounting firm in the Philippines.

From Oblivious to Finding my Mark

I started out as a fresh face, oblivious to the daily activities of the corporate world. That phase ended when I was introduced to a fellow professor of mine in the university. Every session he would initiate the lecture by asking the class how our day went. Good or bad, it was amazing how we all connected, it was as if the Great Berlin wall broke down and we were comforted by an everyday warmth of laughter and learning. This just goes to show that once an immense passion is brought up, an immense passion to teach, to learn, to grow and to connect; it will eventually be reciprocated to you.

At this time you would’ve already been doubting how this is all related to my CMA journey. I don’t blame you, but let me continue.

I was just an average college student struggling my way to get a passing mark, it was considerably challenging yet I found myself wanting to learn so I kept asking questions and once I did, I was drawn to the complexity of accounting and finance and how businesses revolve around these two important aspects of our lives.

I was determined to not just only pass but to win, not just only to lose little but to win big; for that I needed a reason to be better and my drive for my successes has always been my family. Their everyday struggle to earn has been my everyday drive to become the best of who I am. I started to do research on how I can broaden my skills and be a full pledged professional ready for combat.

Luckily, the university was providing a CMA program, which I  was doubtful at first. I mean, come on, if you were asked to spend half a hundred thousand pesos on a license, wouldn’t you be at least curious at what the program is all about and if the program is, in fact, legitimate? I know I would.

I did a background check and eventually decided to enroll myself in it. It was difficult at first but once I got the discipline of making it a habit to study everyday and to remind myself of my reason to succeed, I was able to pass both exams on the same testing window.

A simple tip for people who are on their CMA journey,“ Know what you want and why you want it.” It must not only be a want. You have to find that hunger and resolve; and in a few months time, I believe you’ll also reach your destination.

About the Author:

Mark Jason Te is a graduate of Management Accounting from the University of Santo Tomas, with goals of being financially literate in the cities of Hong Kong while taking care of his family in the process.

Driven to Succeed

“There is no substitute for a good preparation”- A line that marked my mind ever since college.

I was just a typical male student back then–spending 70% of my time on computer games and 30% on studies. During that phase, I was having difficulties on the subject Management Accounting Services (MAS).

During the review for the CPA board exams, I placed extra effort on that subject and voila, it was my top subject in the actual CPA board! This was the first clue in my life that I knew I was headed to something amazing!

Henceforth, my CMA story started when I was employed in SGV. After extraneous busy seasons, I’ve decided to pursue greater education–thus I’ve thought about getting masterals, CIA and CISA, etc.

This took a lot of time. It was then when I rode a bus going home and read an advertisement regarding CMA. I remember telling myself back then that I would aim to becoming a Certified Management Accountant someday after passing the CPA board exams.

It was just then a dream, now it’s just within my reach. I decided to get the contact details within the advertisement and tried contacting Insights. There, I met Sir Angel, a highly respected, English-speaking professional using highfalutin words and prominent among CMAs! I’ve also met Sir Kenji- a prodigy, who was the lead instructor of Insights Financial Review Services! From there I knew that my journey to becoming a CMA began- and I knew that I was in good hands.

I was a working professional so balancing work and review was indeed a challenge. Plus, the review sessions were only conducted during the weekends, sometimes half day, sometimes whole day. It was indeed a sacrifice knowing that it would entail dedication, focus and discipline- I was committing 5-6 months of my life for this title!

I can say that it wasn’t really easy. I had to reason out with my friends every time they asked to hang out. I needed to distance myself from “distractions” because if I wanted this to happen, I have to give my 100% on this. I told this to my parents and surely they understood my situation- I’ve even convinced my father to accompany me here in Manila on the week of my exams (given the fact that I only live alone and my father is employed as captain of a ship), in which he agreed.

Five months have passed and the month of the two-part exams arrived, and it suddenly hit me. Am I prepared to take the exams? Have I given my 100% in the review? I know I did but somehow I felt like the time was not enough. I’ve even talked to my review mates about the mixed emotions that I was having. That’s where I realized that having a set of friends with the same purpose can be of great help- they were a vital support system all throughout the review! Them, together with my parents’ support, my siblings’ encouragement and my loved ones’ trust, I got fortified!

Then came the week of exams- I was nervous, at the same time excited. I said to myself, “I have the perfect chance ahead of me to realize my dream. All the hard work poured into this two-day examination.”

I can say that the exam was not easy- it was really challenging! All that’s left to do is hope for the best and pray!

6 weeks after, the results came! Alas! All the hard work paid off! The first thing I did? I prayed to the Almighty Jehovah God, with tears rolling down my cheeks. All the sacrifices paid off and it was all worth it! He indeed answers prayers.

It’s not that I’m bragging, but I knew I was going to become a CMA because I was going to make it happen. Big thanks to the Insights review team for guiding us all throughout the journey!

Finally, let me share this wonderful quote: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there” – Theodore Roosevelt

About the Author:

James C. Mercado, CPA, CMA, is a BS in Accountancy graduate from Saint Louis University-Baguio in March, 2012. He is currently employed as Senior Advisory/Audit Associate in one of the Big 4 firms in the country.