CPA board’s 5th placer once dropped out of college

ORMOC CITY, Philippines  â€“ An Ormocanon, who was a former college dropout, placed No. 5 in the recent licensure exam for Certified Public Accountants, bringing honor to this city’s homegrown Western Leyte College, Inc. (WLCI), the only non-university on the elite Top 10 of passers.

Twenty-two-year-old Jeymar Pelin Dumagsa is the son of businessman Jayger and Marilyn Dumagsa, human resource manager of Ormoc Multi-purpose Credit Cooperative, Inc.

Jeymar is currently in Manila to meet potential employers who have been calling him up since the board exam results were released on May 28 by the Professional Regulation Commission.

In text answers to questions from The Freeman, Jeymar described himself an average student, whose closest brush to the academic roll was getting the 4th honors in Grade 4.

He said he dropped out from his studies in a college at Tacloban City on his first year, and just idled for two years. He later decided to return to school, this time at the WLCI. On his parents’ advice, he took up accountancy because “he liked math and business.”

As an “average student,” he passed all his subjects and only began shining through while taking up his majors. He also became the regional champion of the accountancy quiz bowl, which was no mean feat.

Manuel Edaño, WLC’s accountancy college dean, said Jeymar maybe the “average student” but he has more potential in him. Together with other mentors, they harnessed this potential of Jeymar who, they said, was further lucky to have parents who were always there for him and supported his decisions.

Among his decisions was to take review classes twice at CPAR in Manila, where he always topped the review exams and mock board. “It was expensive, yes,” Edaño pointed out but it also helped Jeymar to land in the Top 10 of the board exams. The two reviews was a gambit that paid off, as it put the young Ormocanon at the No. 5 slot.

Jeymar told The Freeman he was dedicating his achievement to his parents and family, saying that he may have studied hard during his review but it was also his family’s investing on his dream that made it a reality. When asked for his advice to future examinees, he said: “Invest in your dreams and trust God. Nothing worthwhile is easy.”

Meanwhile, the administration of WLCI was elated over Jeymar’s feat. The school’s vice president, Emmanuel Fiel, said, “It’s a dream come true,” referring to the school and its outstanding alumnus.

Edaño said WLCI had been producing many CPA passers—13 in the past two years, then 11 in the previous year, while in 2012 it was only Jeymar who passed but with a bonus: Being No. 5 in the Top 10.

Edaño added that, in recognition of Jeymar’s achievement, WLCI will be feting him with a ceremony and will refund his tuition since he started studying at this school. (FREEMAN)