ALMOST all SM scholar graduates, or 92 percent, who took the licensure for certified public accountants (CPAs)conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission passed the recent examinations. This translated to 48 new CPAs, four of whom were among the top 10 examinees.

Wayjorie A. Depayso, a magna cum laude from Saint Louis University in Baguio City, placed third, while Marc Rodolf B. Arca of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Jannen B. Barona of the University of the East Caloocan and Bryan B. Abanilla of Meycauayan College, Bulacan-all summa cum laude graduates-took the fourth, sixth and ninth places, respectively.

The board passers came from the 164 scholars who graduated in May, comprising the 16th batch of SM Foundation graduates. There were 65 scholars who finished BS Accountancy, but only 52 took the board exams, perhaps because they are now gainfully employed and opted to work full-time, putting off the board exams for now.

This is not the first time that SM scholars landed on the list of board topnotchers; many have preceded them and are now employed in big companies.

Abanilla expressed his profound gratitude to SM Foundation, especially to the Sy Family, in a message sent to SM Foundation Program Manager Eleanor P. Lansang: ‘Truly, without this institution and people like you, it is impossible for me to achieve this life-changing achievement.’

He added, ‘I will always bear in mind the foundation’s battlecry: ‘If you will it, it can happen.’ SM Foundation maintains 1,200 scholars annually who are enrolled in 82 partner-schools throughout the country. Majority of the scholars are fully financed by SM Foundation while 155 are supported by other private companies and individuals but managed by the foundation.