Pinay bet tops international CPA tilt

After Duke, here comes Duchess.

A Filipina certified public accountant of a local auditing firm bested 21,000 other examinees from different parts of the globe to become the second Filipino to top the Certified Internal Auditors (CIA) examination held last year.

Duchess Marie Cruz, senior staff member of Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), won the "gold medal" in the exam that Duke Bahinting won two years ago.

The 23-year-old Cruz will be given the honor of personally receiving her gold medal and certificate during the annual conference of the International Institute of Internal Auditors sometime in June this year in Houston, Texas, said Alfredo Damian, head of P&A’s human resources and communication division.

Cruz obtained the highest rating among the Top 25 out of 21,000 examinees from 55 countries, Damian told The STAR, adding there was no figure given for the rating.

Cruz took the uniform CIA exam in the Philippines, according to Damian.

"It was a computer-based program simultaneously given to the examinees through the auspices of the local chapter of the International Institute of Internal Auditors," he said.

Cruz graduated magna cum laude from the University of the East in Caloocan with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and passed the October 2002 national CPA licensure examinations.

She is now a senior auditor of P&A’s business risk services group, which handles internal audit and technology risk management engagements.

Nine other P&A auditors passed the CIA exams. They are Jasper Antolin, Nick Buscato, Carolyn Cabanit, Deogracias Pante, Joy Payongayong, Mariam Suson, Marilyn Tuano, Dennis Villamin and Jamaema Yap.