— witsandnuts

Filipinos on Top of the World

I took the CIA exams in November 2005 and incidentally a Filipino (Duchess) topped the exams worldwide.  Duchess was my sectionmate/classmate during the CIA review held in PLDT Towers during saturdays.  Aside from her, my sectionmates that time included the Internal Audit Head of GMA Network, a Finance Officer from ABS CBN, department heads from different private and government institutions in the Philippines, etc.  As I recall now, I was among the younger reviewees in our block.

My review then (and exams package actually) was company sponsored, together with my other previous officemates.  It was much fun going back to school every saturdays, though I was absent for  four consecutive weeks when I was assigned for work in Naga and Tabaco (in Bicol) the whole month of August.  Our facilitators/lecturers were all dedicated, and I will never forget when the facilitator for Part 1 said, “To be an internal auditor is a calling”.  That day a lot of realizations came.

I also enjoyed the lectures as the elder/seasoned reviewees shared their views in some points.  It was funny when our classmates from ABS CBN and GMA Network would kid on some stuff, including the rivalry on primetime shows.  Until we had our mock exams and the actual exams in RCBC Plaza.  I was in an-out-of-town assignment again when the results were released in last week of January 2006.  My heart was stumping when my result was sent through fax.  Gladly, I made it.

It was during the testimonial dinner at the Intercon that I met my review classmates again.  A few of them I am still in close touch till now and we even became friends.

Until I decided to take CFSA exams in November 2007 and I was already in my second day here in Abu Dhabi when the results were announced.  The scanned copy of my result was emailed to me and gladly I cleared it.  Again, a Filipino topped the exams worldwide.

It is interesting to note that coincidentally or not, the first names of the Filipino topnotchers resemble or are associated with royal origin:

Ryan (of Gaelic origin, and its meaning is “King”)

Duke (of Old German and Old English origin, and it is a title of nobility, along the lines of Earl and Duke)

Duchess (female title of nobility)

Elisheba (“Princess” in the early biblical days)

Yesterday, an article titled “Filipinos on Top of the World” appeared in Philippine Daily Inquirer.  There is no copy in the online version of Inquirer.  But a copy is preserved in here, site of and writer of the Article, Ms. Edel Mary D. Vegamora, CIA Country Coordinator in the Philippines.