When an organization reaches a milestone anniversary, it presents an opportunity for a truly special celebration. With the theme Rising to the Challenge, ACPACI observed its 40th year founding anniversary and 2nd General Membership Meeting last March 21, 2013 at the Bahia Lounge, Hotel Intercontinental Manila, Ayala, Makati City.
Commemorating this momentous event, the Association conducted a series of activities. The celebration first kicked off in the afternoon, ACPACI held two technical sessions for its members: Tax Updates and Other BIR Issuances with Ms. Marivic A. Galvan, from the Bureau of Internal Revenue Project Management & Implementation Service, as the resource speaker, followed by Preparation of Corporate Tax Return with Atty. Olivier D. Aznar of the Punongbayan & Araullo Tax Compliance Division as the discussant.
The second part of the celebration commenced with a thanks giving mass officiated by Father Jose Lasam, Rector of St. Gaspar Bertoni Seminary together with the seminary’s Choir and Servers. At around 6 pm, cocktails were served as the invited guests who were wearing ruby red or with touch of ruby red outfits (in view of ACPACI’s Ruby Anniversary) started to arrive. They were greeted by the organization’s officers who were likewise dressed in ruby red. Ms. Winnie Cuico, ACPACI Executive Director delivered the welcome remarks.
Nostalgia Night.
The party was a night of nostalgia; at the Bahia’s foyer, there was a table where ACPACI’s memorabilia was prominently displayed: albums containing sepia-toned and colored photographs of its officers, members, past events, and candid shots that truly captured moments of happiness and hilarity, newspaper cutouts about the Association, and its 1973 banner/colors.
Flanking the stage were pencil portraits of ACPACI’s past presidents from 1974 to 2008, artfully framed and with glass casing. These mementoes embodied the organization’s treasures throughout the years and they were nostalgic charms that evoked good memories.
Oh so delicious!
Though menus and meals were not the focus of the gathering, they were certainly key ingredients for making the get-together an unforgettable one. For the special occasion, ACPACI and Hotel Intercon prepared a wide array of taste bud-tempting culinary creations, from tasty appetizers to savory sweets and everything in between.
The guests were regaled with soul-warming fare whose flavors were positively heaven-sent: chicken teriyaki, grilled pink salmon in lemon butter sauce, pork loin with sage stuffing, beef steak Tagalog, assorted fish with horseradish, shrimp cocktail with mango, chicken pineapple salad, wild mushroom soup, fresh lumpiang ubod, sushi and sashimi, buttered veggies, Japchae, and salad, salad, salad.
For desserts, the visitors were greeted with a plethora of fresh and sliced fruity delights of melons, pineapples, mangoes and watermelons. The dark and white chocolate mousse cake wearing an edible corsage- beribboned with cheese strips and embellished with slices of kiwi and strawberry- was visually tantalizing and delectable any way you slice it. The glazed fruit tartlettes, though bite-size, were oh so deliciously filling. The creamy bread and butter pudding, which tasted like a perfect marriage of egg pie and leche flan, was a fabulous treat, and the gooey, oozy and drippy Crepe Samurai was simply sensational.
As the members and guests gathered around their tables for food, fellowship and fun, there was a video presentation entitled “ACPACI Through the Years”, afterwards, they were serenaded by the ballads of Mr. Lito Cereno of Legend Villas and Session Road Café in the intermission number. His repertoire included songs of Kenny Rogers – Through the Years; Spandau Ballet, James Taylor, Nyoy Volante, etc. He was so good that the audience had goose bumps galore.
Past Perfect
Have you ever wondered how ACPACI started? The how’s, the who’s and the why’s were all answered during the Past Presidents’ Narration segment of the ruby celebration. Each of the assigned speakers took a stroll down memory lane of their ACPACI days.
Early Years of ACPACI
Mr. Erdulfo Sison, 1980 ACPACI President, gave his recollection of how ACPACI started. He remembered being recruited by his client, Mr. Alfredo Parungao in 1976. When Mr. Sison joined ACPACI, there were only 29 members. During those days, majority of the members of PICPA were mostly from ACPAP (The Association of CPAs in Public Practice and GACPA (The Government Association of CPAs). The CPAs in Commerce and Industry, being a minority in PICPA, decided to form a separate group that was (and still is) fun, friendly and that could focus more on the interests of the CPAs in Commerce and Industry, thus ACPACI (Association of CPAs in Commerce and Industry) came into existence. Mr. Sison became the sixth President of ACPACI, and still an active member of the association to this day.
ACPACI in the 80’S
Ms. Preciosa Castillo, 1989 ACPACI President and the representative speaker for the 1980s, described how the Association was during that decade.
1980 started off literally with a bang -- the assassination of John Lennon and an attempt on the life of the Pope in 1981. For the Philippines, it was a tumultuous times as well. With the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1986, the first EDSA revolution came about which led by then President Marcos to flee the country. Changes in the accounting profession were seen in this era. With the enactment of Corporation Code of the Philippines in 1980, new regulations were passed. Among others, Corporations with paid up capital of P 50,000 and above were required to submit financial statements that were duly certified by an independent CPA.
In 1981, the fairy tale wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles made headlines across the world; the Accounting Standards Council was created to establish accounting principles that would become the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of the Philippines. It would be noted that in this decade, ACPACI has had its first female president, Ms.Winefreda Madarang, followed by two more lady Presidents, incoming PICPA 2013 President, Ms. Violeta Josef and Ms. Castillo herself.
ACPACI in the 90’S and through the New Millennium
Ms. Arceli Sison, the ACPACI President in the new millennium (2000), vividly recalled the Annual National Convention in Baguio Country Club in Baguio City where they invited Senator Manny Villar. They waited long hours for him and his advance party; they couldn’t start the event without him. When he arrived, he was already rushing to go to his next itinerary that he didn’t even go to the stage.
Funnily, in her speech, Ms. Sison talked about the PICPA Accountancy Week Celebration in 2000; she thought that the event was in Megamall and she waited and waited only to find out that the venue was in Edsa Shangrila. PICPA couldn’t start the celebration because Ms. Sison was part of the opening ceremony. She also recounted that the Search for Outstanding Accounting Students during her term was plagued with series of unfortunate events: it was stormy that day, there was black out, the streets were flooded and they were stranded at the ACCEDE Center of the Asian Institute of Management, but in the end, all’s well that ends well.
If former President Estrada’s removal from office in the middle of his term brought the country Gloria Arroyo in 2001, ACPACI had the same version: in 2003, Ms. Marie De Lemos took over the leadership of the Association when the term of then President, Ms. Aida Apostol, was cut short due to health reasons. In fact, as Ms. De Lemos lightheartedly pointed out in her speech, her similarities with President Arroyo extended not only their height but also their tenure. Ms. De Lemos was the Vice President of Ms. Apostol, and she automatically became the President after the latter resigned in 2003. She was elected ACPACI President the following year. She was ACPACI’s GMA.
In her speech, Ms. De Lemos intimated to the members and guests her fears and ambivalence in accepting the ACPACI presidency because she felt then that she didn’t have enough clout to lead. Her apprehension subsided because of the support showered to her by the members and officers and ACPACI past presidents particularly Mr. Ricky Lim, ACPACI 1984 President.
ACPACI Now
While nostalgic and awed by its colorful roots, today’s ACPACI remains bold in rising to the challenges that it faces, one of which is the challenge to maintain membership and continuously recruit new ones. And as an answer to that, new members were sworn in that night by Ms. Janis Maghinay, Chairperson, Membership Development Committee and Ms. Connie Cadelina, ACPACI 2013 President. The officers also focus on creating a balanced professional in each of its members. And to demonstrate their dedication to provide a venue for balanced personal and professional development, the ACPACI officers, spearheaded by Ms. Connie Cadelina, spread out the events calendar for the year and the programs that they came up with during their Strategic Planning Meeting last January.
The degree by which ACPACI can successfully ride to the crest of every challenge that comes its way depends largely on how actively each member will support its programs. The key is in the hands of the members, they ought to rise up to the challenge.
To learn more of the ACPACI events lined up for the year, please click here.
Awesome Shindig
One of the most significant and anticipated events of the organization is the upcoming Annual National Convention with PICPA slated on September 19-22, 2013 in Cebu City. The preview of the Cebu ANC was presented by ANC Chairperson, Ms. Liza Glodoviza during the awesome shindig. This year’s convention includes a side trip to Bohol. The combination of Cebu-Bohol trip not only entices but also thrills the members to join the yearly activity. This one will surely not make ‘Juan a dull boy’, to re-quote Ms. Cadelina.
During the fellowship, Ms. Cecile Carandang, 2013 Director for Fellowship, prepared parlor games for the enjoyment of the members and guests and also this little ACPACI trivia quiz to test their knowledge of the Association. Questions like the founding day of ACPACI, the official colors of ACPACI, the names of the past presidents with the same first and last name initials, and even the address of ACPACI, among others were asked. The parlor games and the trivia quiz had the attendees entertained for quite a while!
The celebration was hosted by Mr. Lawrence de Leon, Director for Membership and was formally closed by Ms. Ma. Paz Malubay, 2011 ACPACI President.
Written by: CK Gajunia, Felicidad V. Avila and Nanette N. Tabuac