Certified public accountant and FEU Diliman alumnus Remy Pendon had always wanted to showcase the talents and skills of Tamaraws. Even as a student, Remy already aspired to make a name for his school through the awards and recognitions he received. A few years later, he now works as a professor in his beloved alma mater and through this job, he continues to find ways to empower and expose the potential of students.
“I’m not only doing this because I want FEU Diliman to participate in various competitions. I also want to create a culture of mentorship,” Remy explained.
In fact, just recently, Remy couldn’t hide his positive emotions when the Accountancy team of FEU Diliman was able to bag awards in multiple local competitions. Among those who competed was a freshman student named Mark Tabasan who won as one of the top scorers in the Taxation category of the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA) - NCR’s "Magnify - The Phenomena: Dawn of the Luminous Minds in the Accounting Sphere".
“I was so shocked that a freshman student won in Tax even though he does not have this subject in school yet! I was really surprised and even didn’t want to believe it at first,” Remy explained.
Thankfully, through focused training and mockup quiz bees, Mark became ready and equipped to ace the competition.
“I was expecting to win in other categories but it’s never in my list that I could actually win in Taxation because I just answered based on my past experience. And when I found out that I won, it’s like I was on cloud nine because this was seriously unexpected,” he said.
Mark also shared that reading and watching tax-related news have helped him level up his game.
“If you have time, read and comprehend tax-related laws, basic principles of tax, and news about tax reforms. In taxation, you don’t have to memorize everything word-by-word. You just have to connect it with our society, specifically in real-life situations,” he added.
Meanwhile, this wasn’t the only award that FEU Diliman received. During another competition hosted by JPIA titled “Bet in a Million: The JPIAN's Gambit NCR 2021”, Tamaraws won again as 2nd Runner Up. Mark was part of the team as well but this time, he was joined by sophomore student Heart Pecson and junior student Arsyl Jales.
“I decided to join these competitions because I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more and to test my knowledge in a different and fun way,” Heart said.
Apart from this achievement, Heart also won as one of the top scorers of the Annual Grand Summit Cups Jr. of JPIA.
ON TAKING ACCOUNTANCY AS A COURSE
Heart always wanted to be an accountant. It was a childhood dream that she held on strongly. So when the time came that she must decide for a course in college, Heart already knew what to write in the application form.
“As an ABM student in Senior High, I had a glimpse of what the Accounting world is like. This moment in my life made me realize why I should really consider Accountancy because I find it exciting, challenging, and fun to learn. Now, I can really say that I love learning Accountancy and it is my passion,” she said.
Similar to Heart, Mark studied Accountancy to pursue a path where he sees himself in the future. He also wants to be part of today’s business world and for him, there’s no better way to do that than to take up Accountancy.
“Coming from a line of doctors, nurses, and dentists, I decided to hit the road that could also bring pride to my family. I remember one of my professors who said ‘Accountancy is a language of business’. This thought left an impression and made me realize how different Accountancy is from other Business courses,” he shared.
However, this particular topic seemed to be a different story for their Coach Remy because while Mark and Heart envisioned themselves to be an accountant, Remy initially wanted to become a civil engineer.
“During the past, I used to question myself why I chose Accountancy. But, it’s totally normal to have unanswered thoughts at first because I realized the answer will just come naturally,” he said. “Later on, I finally found my purpose or the reason why I was driven into this path… and that is to help students, to help business owners, and to help people.”
So in the end, Remy was glad that everything happened the way they did because had he not taken Accountancy, he wouldn’t have been the smart, confident, and successful person he is now.
“Accounting did not only give me knowledge or a CPA license. It gave me confidence and most importantly, a trust or belief in myself,” he exclaimed.
ON BEING ACCOUNTANCY STUDENTS AT FEU DILIMAN
In the Philippines, Accountancy remains to be one of the most in-demand courses in college. Lots of universities offer this program, complete with awesome features, unique selling points, and whatnots.
However, for Remy, Mark, and Heart, despite the multitude of options they can choose from, they wouldn’t trade their Accountancy life at FEU Diliman for anything else.
“My Accountancy life at FEU Diliman is thrilling in a way that my excitement level hasn’t even changed since I enrolled here until now. Honestly speaking, I always feel motivated to go to class everyday to learn more. That’s why it’s really a thrill for me,” Heart quipped.
“For me, proficiency resonates in FEU Diliman’s Accountancy program. In this school, I have experienced a one-of-a-kind service that really provides the necessities of the students as well as friendly, amiable, thoughtful and excellent educators who hone our skills to become competitive individuals in this innovative society,” Mark added.
Lastly, Remy had an emotional answer when asked about his Accountancy life in FEU Diliman. As he recalls his experience and journey, he thought of one word that can encapsulate everything.
“If I could describe my experience in FEU Diliman from when I was a student up until now that I’m already a professor, in one word, I would say it’s fulfilling,” he said. “Because of my experience as a Accountancy student in FEU Diliman, most of my dreams and goals aren’t just words anymore. I’m doing it right now.”
*** Accountancy at FEU Diliman helps students learn how to resolve business issues and problems with a global and strategic perspective using knowledge and technical proficiency in the areas of financial accounting and reporting, cost accounting and management, accounting and control, taxation, and accounting information systems.
FEU is also proud to be a pioneer institution in Accountancy so when you decide to study here, you’re guaranteed to experience the quality education you truly deserve. For more information, visit our website at www.feudiliman.edu.ph
You may also watch the full interview of our Accountancy team here.