A team of fourth-year USC B.S. Accountancy students earned one of the Top 3 spots of the 24th Inter-Collegiate Finance Competition (ICFC)–National Round, held simultaneously across six regional competition sites, including Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, and Metro Manila, on November 22, 2024.
Nefalin B. Demafiles, Marjorie Mae T. Dy, Chae Yéhuditova A. Perez, Lawrence C. Sarigumba, and Robyn Vernice S. Uy represented USC and competed against 96 other schools in the event organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) in partnership with JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The competition consisted of two phases: an elimination round and a final round. In the elimination round, participants answered moderate and difficult questions to secure a spot in the Top 20, which advanced to the finals. Top-performing schools from each competition site automatically qualified, while additional finalists were chosen based on their cumulative scores.
Finishing second in Cebu during the elimination round, the USC team advanced to the finals where they faced some of the country’s best schools. After an intense series of challenging finance and management accounting questions, USC claimed the 2nd Runner-Up spot nationwide, alongside top-tier institutions University of the Philippines-Diliman and De La Salle University.
“Our goal was simply to give it our best,” the team shared. “We prepared extensively but kept our expectations grounded. This achievement has shown us that with determination and grit, anything is possible.”
The winners will be officially awarded during the Junior Finance Executive Summit in Manila sometime in January 2025.
The USC team thrived under the expert guidance and mentorship of Rey Amaya, Joemel Dakay, Rodel James Diana, Oscar Villaflor, Jovelyn Yu, and Stevenson Yu.
The ICFC, widely regarded as the premier collegiate finance competition in the country, serves as a platform for showcasing the analytical and decision-making prowess of future financial leaders. USC’s outstanding performance highlights the university’s dedication to academic excellence and its ability to compete at the highest level.
This achievement solidifies USC’s standing among the nation’s premier academic institutions and ignites inspiration within the Carolinian community, demonstrating that unwavering perseverance and dedication are the keys to success.
by Joemel Dakay, CPA, Department of Accountancy