We congratulate the 60 BS Business Administration & Accountancy (BAA) program graduates who passed the recent Certified Public Accountants Licensure Examination (CPALE), which was held from May 25 to 27, 2025.  

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the results on June 3, with 3,156 out of 9,533 examinees passing the examination for a national passing rate of 33.11%. UP Diliman is the top-performing school with a passing rate of 100%. 

Meanwhile, John Elrich R. Gamboa is the topnotcher of the board exam with a score of 92.67%. To all our new CPAs, PADAYON!

You are all cordially invited to attend the following research lectures:

1. Prof. Rhey Joseph S. Daway on June 16, 2025 (Monday) at 2 PM in VSB Rm 110 entitled Greening the Bottom Line: The Business Case for Investing in Environmental and Sustainable Projects in the Philippines.

2. Prof. Remvert Bryan G. Placido on June 17, 2025 (Tuesday) at 9 AM in VSB Rm 110 entitled Measuring the Effectiveness of Government Expenditures on Climate Change Adaptation: Evidence from the Philippines

3. Ms. Erika Mae D. Buenventura on June 30, 2025 (Monday) at 2:30 PM in VSB Rm 110 entitled Quantifying the effect of VAT on Digital Services on Certain Types of Taxpayers

4. Dr. Dani Rose C. Salazar on June 30, 2025 (Monday) at 4:00 PM in VSB Rm 110 entitled The Investment Property Riddle

Other lecture schedules will be announced soon.

For applicants from UP Diliman and other UP units, visit https://tinyurl.com/VSBshifting.

For applicants within VSB, visit https://tinyurl.com/VSBshiftinginternal.

Applicants from other universities can apply at the UP Diliman Office of the University Registrar at https://our.upd.edu.ph.

The deadline for submission of ALL requirements is 20 June 2025, 5:00PM.

Ms. Maria Teresa M. Bal, Student Records Evaluator II of the UP Virata School of Business and familiar to all as Ate Tes, was awarded the Natatanging Kawani - Puso Award by the University of the Philippines Human Resource Development Office (UP-HRDO). 

In recognition of her inspirational and tireless service record with the school and the university, Ms. Tes was among 24 other service units and staff members who were granted the ceremonial honors in an event in the UP GT-Toyota Center last 8 May 2025. 

Ms. Tes has rendered 35 years of service to the school and continues to be integral in the day-to-day operations of the undergraduate programs. The entire VSB community is thankful for her. Congratulations, Ms. Tes!

The UP Virata School of Business warmly thanks the BSBAA Class of 1974 for their generous and much-needed donation of window blinds in several classrooms, staff rooms, the VSB Library, and the Computer Laboratory. The class celebrated their golden anniversary last 2024 in the UP VSB Alumni Homecoming. Padayon at maraming salamat!

The VSB Community proudly celebrates our distinguished alumni. The awardees were recognized in the Alumni Homecoming program on 7 December 2024.

• Maria Carolina V. Dominguez (BSBA 1984)

• Maria Corazon D. Purisima (BSBAA 1999)

• Jazmin Vinculado (BSBAA 1995)

You are all cordially invited to attend the research lectures of:

• Prof. Arturo Benedict M. Ilano on December 12, 2024 (Thursday) at 10 AM in VSB Rm 108 entitled Testing the Double Jeopardy Effect in Student Fast-Food Consumption

• Prof. Ben Paul B. Gutierrez on December 13, 2024 (Friday) at 11 AM in VSB Rm 108 entitled Diversification Strategies of the Aboitiz and Consunji Business Groups in the Philippines

• Prof. Debbie Chua Bun Pho on December 17, 2024 (Tuesday) at 11 AM in VSB Rm 106 entitled Company Profile of Listed Philippine Property and Industrial Companies Using the Fair Value Model on Investment Properties

• Prof. Daniel Vincent H. Borja on December 18, 2024 (Wednesday) at 8 AM in VSB Rm 106 entitled Liquidity Funding Risk

• Prof. Helena Agnes S. Valderrama on December 18, 2024 (Wednesday) at 2 PM in VSB Rm 106 entitled Governance and Related Party Interests in the Philippine Power Sector:  An Exploratory Analysis

Five (5) BS Business Administration & Accountancy students of the Virata School of Business were recognized as champions in the 24th Intercollegiate Finance Competition (ICFC) on 22 November 2024 held at De La Salle University Manila. The ICFC is one of the most prestigious annual academic competitions for finance, banking, and economics in the Philippines organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) which aims to determine the best finance teams in the country through a two-stage competition proper. 

The team comprised Brian Dominic C. Dela Cruz, Mary Francine G. Estoesta, Marco Antonio P. Paez, Dominic O. Segunial, and Nemesio Justine dF. Torres, Jr. Prof. John Lester H. Aratea from the Department of Accounting and Finance coached the team.

Besting 98 other schools from six different locations nationwide, this year's win brings VSB's total to 14 championships out of the 24 times the competition has been held. NCR's host, De La Salle University, was recognized as the first Runner-up, while the second Runner-up was the University of San Carlos from Cebu. Congratulations to the team

Deadline for submission of all application documents: March 31, 2025. For application details: https://www.vsb.upd.edu.ph/phd-program/admission.

Gold news from the Netherlands! Five (5) BS Business Administration and Accountancy students from the UP Virata School of Business were awarded the Gold Prize at the Wing Lung Bank International Institute for Business Development (IIBD) International Case Competition 2024 held last November 7 in the town of Zwolle, the Netherlands. With the theme “Water for the World,” this year’s competition was jointly hosted by the Windesheim University of Applied Sciences and the Hong Kong Baptist University.

The team members are Chelsea Denise T. Cregencia, Karla S. Lorena, Ma. Angelica Grace L. Rapal, and Aleisha Hailey O. Uy, and were coached by Prof. Mikhael B. Magana. Lorena was also recognized as the Best Presenter of the competition. The team aced the first round and was chosen as a finalist from more than 50 global teams. In the finals, the jury was impressed with the team’s presentation for a fresh produce company, emphasizing the sustainability of farming practices and the financial viability of the proposed strategies.

The Wing Lung Bank IIBD is an international consortium comprised of 18 member universities in Australia, Canada, Sweden, Thailand, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the UK, the US & China. IIBD’s mission is to facilitate the growth and development of international business education activities through the cooperation and joint ventures with its global network. (From the IIBD Official Website)

The school will honor its alumni who have outstanding accomplishments in the field of business management, and/or entrepreneurship, and/or public service. The awardees will be honored during the annual alumni homecoming on Saturday, December 7, 2024 (9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) at the UPVSB Building. 

This year, the honoree classes are: 1974 (Golden), 1979 (Sapphire), 1984 (Ruby), 1989 (Coral), 1994 (Pearl), 1999 (Silver), 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. All MBA, MS Finance, MS Management, PhD graduates and graduates of Classes 2010-2024 are also cordially invited.

Selection Criteria

1.  The nominee must have demonstrated outstanding achievement as a professional manager in an industry, and/or;

2.  The nominee is a successful entrepreneur whose firm has a respectable size in terms of Total Assets and/or number of personnel; and/or

3.  The nominee has rendered distinguished public service.

Past recipients of the DAA will no longer be considered for this award. The nomination form can be accomplished through https://tinyurl.com/VSBDAA2024. Complete nominations should be accomplished and sent no later than Monday, November 4, 2024, 12:00 noon.

Three UP Virata School of Business faculty have been conferred with the distinction of UP Scientist 1 under the UP Scientific Productivity System (SPS) Batch 2023-2025. The faculty are:

• Dr. Erik Paolo S. Capistrano

• Dr. Dave DG. Centeno 

• Dr. Maria Regina Lucia M. Lizares

The announcement was made by the Office of the Faculty Regent following the UP Board of Regents meeting today, 26 September 2024 (Thursday).

Congratulations to Dr. Erik, Dr. Dave, and Dean Gina!

All VSB Undergraduate students (BSBA and BSBAA) are encouraged to download a copy of the UP VSB Undergraduate Student Handbook from the link and QR Code below. The Handbook serves as your guide through most academic and non-academic policies and processes in the University and the School.

https://tinyurl.com/VSBUGHandbook

*Details in the Handbook may change without prior notice. Please consult the Undergraduate Programs Director if unsure.

You are all cordially invited to attend the following research lectures.

Using a Sari-Sari Store to Contextualize Accounting in the Philippines

- Prof. Remvert Bryan G. Placido - 14 June 2024 (Friday) | 10:00 AM | VSB Rm 106

We congratulate the 43 graduates of the BS Business Administration & Accountancy (BAA) program who passed the recent Certified Public Accountants Licensure Examination (CPALE) held from May 26 to 28, 2024.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the results last June 1, with 3,155 out of 10,421 examinees passing the examination for a national passing rate of 30.28%. UP Diliman registered an exemplary passing rate of 89.58%.

BS BAA Class of 2024 graduate Micolai Kate T. Odronia placed 10th with a rating of 89.17%.

To all our new CPAs, PADAYON!

Two UP Virata School of Business students have been awarded the Gawad Tsanselor para sa Natatanging Mag-Aaral 2024. The awardees are:

• Ron Simon B. Lomibao, a 4th Year BS Business Administration student and current Chairperson of the Business Administration Council, and 

• Mark Anthony S. Angeles, a 3rd Year Master of Business Administration student and Founder & President of Noypreneur

From the UP Diliman Information Office:  The Gawad Tsanselor para sa Natatanging Mag-Aaral is the highest, most prestigious University award given to students who have attained a high level of academic accomplishment, demonstrated good leadership, and exemplified “honor and excellence in the service of the people.” 

Congratulations, Simon and Mark!

Team Emerald Equities, representing UP Diliman, were proclaimed champions at the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2024 Local Finals held on February 23, 2024.

The team is composed of 4th year students Patek Dee, Gabriel Ditching, Alex Pates, Kara Santiago, and Aleisha Uy.  They were coached by Prof. Mike Magana. The team will represent the Philippines in the Sub-Regional stage later this year.

Congratulations to the team and best of luck in the next round of the competition!