For the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), we have “Played It Forward” during fiscal year 2022-2023, and made significant steps for the further growth and development of the accountancy profession in the Philippines. This fiscal year 2023-2024, we are committed to go beyond the traditional, to be more relevant, and to be more pronounced in the development not just to our profession, but rather to our community and economy as a whole.

There are many myths surrounding the accountancy profession that have pervaded for years and continue to cast an inaccurate light on the profession. Common public misconceptions about accountants are: we are boring and introverted, we only care about debits and credits, we have bad work-life balance, we are brilliant at math and numbers, we are experts in tax and financial figures, we live in a spreadsheet world; and we are number-crunching all day.

Time and again, we have seen accountants rose to different challenges that life has to offer. It’s not unusual for an accountant to not only shine in the field of accounting, audit, tax and related accounting fields, but also to various fields of human endeavor such as business, politics, international affairs, social responsibility and many others. Still, the stereotyping and these common misapprehensions of the public on the role of accountants in the society go largely unnoticed. We can be business leaders, innovators, role models, influencers, financial analysts, and many more because we are more than just number-obsessive individuals.   

We are BEYOND NUMBERS.

The pandemic has dramatically changed the workplace landscape. The accountants were one of the forefronts in combating the harsh effects of the pandemic in the business organizations. The financial and psychological consequences of the covid-19 pandemic have been substantial to many people. Many businesses went bankrupt, many lost their jobs, and people worldwide dealt with psychological crises of redundancies, isolation and loneliness. Yet, the pandemic also came with newfound opportunities and discoveries of talents we never knew we had. The lockdowns and prolonged stay in the confines of our homes, has unlocked the cooking skills of many. Some became gardening enthusiasts. Some started their vlogging careers and some became social media influencers. These are some of the marvels that accountants have unraveled, which continued until present. Most importantly, we, accountants have become adept with the use of technologies and has developed a new system to continue our roles in the society.

In a traditional sense, accountants are viewed by public as records-keeper, tax consultants, auditors and financial analyst. But the new normal demands that accountants should now be more than the usual. The issues of mental health, emotional quotient (E.Q.), time-management, recreational activities and others, have now become part and parcel of accountants’ job description.

The roles of CPAs in the new normal have morphed into something new. There is a need to reinvent oneself. There is a need to acclimate with the demands of the new normal. The future of the accountancy profession is bright, and we will always be ready to take the tasks ahead of us.

For this fiscal year, we have developed the 10-point agenda, and we will do our best to make these vision, a reality at the end of our term.

I. Membership Growth

1. Strengthen ties and linkages to colleges and universities offering BS in Accountancy programs throughout the Philippines
2. Joint projects and activities with the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA)                                          
   II. Financial Management

    3. Create new sustainable income-generating projects for the organization, that at the same time, will promote the profession in the general public (e.g. Youtube channel, content creation, etc.)

III. Professional Growth and Development

4.Active, consultative and collaborative leadership on issues that affect the accountancy profession (e.g. SC ruling on SEC accreditation, etc.)

5. Collaboration with BOA, CHED and other agencies and organizations for suggestions to improve the BSA and related programs/curricula in the country

6. Compliance to Quality Assurance Review (QAR)

VI. Capacity Development and Sustainability

7.Dynamic campaign/efforts for the adoption/use of MELS of the PICPA members

8. Enhanced presence in the digital environment, thru active presence in the different social media platforms

VII. Community and Social Involvement Projects (T.H.E. – Tourism, Health & Environment)

8.Synchronize schedule of PICPA Tanim

9. Synchronize schedule of PICPA Lakad/Takbo/Sayaw Para sa Kalusugan

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Atty. Randy Bisa Blanza, CPA, is the National President of Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. He hails from Malilipot, Albay.