Six BS in Accountancy (BSA) students earned honors in back-to-back academic competitions, with one placing among the Top 12 in a national tax quiz and five others securing top placements in a local accounting quiz bowl.

Fourth-year student Karolrei Ifigeni Gozum placed among the Top 12 finalists in the Search for the Eastern Metro Manila Chapter (EMMC) Tax Whiz Season 19, a national tax quiz organized by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants – EMMC at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman on July 15.

Competing in the EMMC Tax Whiz for the first time, Gozum advanced to the final round after finishing top three out of 95 participants nationwide in the elimination round, which consisted of a pen-and-paper examination featuring easy, average, and difficult questions.

She ultimately placed 12th in the final round, which was conducted using a whiteboard format, with multiple-choice questions for the easy and average categories and final-answer questions for the difficult category.

In an interview, Gozum admitted she did not see the placement coming, sharing that competing against students from big schools and second-guessing herself during the exam made the result more surprising.

“I was shocked and grateful because I was not really expecting anything, considering that there are a lot of competitors coming from big schools, and I felt that I overanalyzed a lot of questions,” she shared.

Joining Gozum in representing the university were six other BSA students: Earl Sonny Cortez, Blessie Joyce Lansang, Christine Joy David, Arvin John Flores, Ivylyn Manalang, and Kyannah Ravin Buluan.

HAU’s Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants and Auditors – United Inc. (JPIAA-U) recognized the group’s effort, stating that the participants “represented the community with integrity and determination.”

Beyond the competition, Gozum also placed top three in the 2026 First Semester Certified Tax Technician (CTT) Examination after earning a rating of 96.

Administered by the Philippine Association of Certified Tax Technicians, Inc. (PACTT), the licensure examinations were conducted from June 12 to 21 in multiple cities nationwide, with 1,085 examinees passing. 

The achievement came as a surprise even to Gozum herself, as she revealed that she was sick during the examination.

“Sabi ko nga kay Lord, sana pumasa ako kasi sayang ‘yung entrance fee,” she said.

Gozum further acknowledged her tax professor, BSA Instructor and On-boarding Examination (OBE) Facilitator Mr. Ednel Tanhueco Datu, for helping her build a strong foundation by making the most of vacant periods and asynchronous schedules to review gradually.

SBA earn top spots at PICPA AC quiz bowl

A day before the national competition, Gozum and five other BSA students competed in the 2026 Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Angeles City Chapter Accounting Quiz Bowl, held on July 14 at Systems Plus College Foundation (SPCF) in Angeles City.

Leading the Level One category, which covered the Fundamentals of Accounting, Yssa Lorrine Timbol emerged as champion while Gozum secured the first runner-up spot.

Meanwhile, Ivylyn Manalang claimed the championship in the Level Two category, which focused on Financial Accounting – All Boards, followed by Christine Joy David as first runner-up.

Angelites Neil Patrick Franco and Arvin John Flores also participated in the cup.

Themed “EMPOWER: Elevating the Filipino CPA Towards Ethical Leadership and Global Excellence,” the event formed part of the Accountancy Week 2026 celebration.

Despite feeling pressured ahead of the PICPA quiz bowl, Gozum pushed through the competition while balancing preparation for her preliminary examinations.

She admitted feeling nervous as the two competitions covered different topics, leaving her uncertain about where to focus her efforts.

“Grabe ‘yung kaba because it somehow sets the momentum. I was not that confident also because both competitions cover different topics so I did not know what to focus on. In the end, I chose to enjoy the experience,” she said.

She also noted that the timing conflicted with their preliminary examinations, but ultimately chose to push through.

“Noong una parang hesitant ako kasi the schedule conflicted with my exams but I realized na sayang kasi yung opportunity, and for the plot talaga,” Gozum shared.

“After those competitions, I realized that I have so much yet to learn and I was inspired by my competitors. I hope to improve my weak points and expand my learning base,” she added.