A graduate who felt like a failure for being left behind by her batch amazed everyone when she ranked top 2 in the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) board exams held in May 2022. Impressive, right?

Graduate Left Behind by Batch, Topnotcher in Board Exams

Society keeps a rough timeline of when people are supposed to achieve things: when we finish our studies and find a job, when are we expected to get married and have a bunch of kids, when are we supposed to build a house, when we should retire, etc.

Like many of these expectations, new graduates are also expected to take the board exams, pass, and find a job.

But things don’t always go as planned, and certainly not in the exact timeline that people expect of us.

That’s what happened to Yanna Jillianne Beriarmente Cruz, an accountancy graduate of Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila Campus.

While studying she won so many interschool, regional, and national competitions, and had been part of PUP Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA) Manila’s Finests.

She graduated from her course back in May 2019, but she didn’t take the board exams along with her batch in October 2019. At the time, she doubted herself and felt too pressured because everyone expected her to excel.

When her batch mates passed the CPA board exams, then she got delayed some more when the COVID-19 hit and the exams were postponed, she thought she made the wrong decision.

She felt like a failure and that her batchmates had already left her behind.

“I always wonder, why does it have to be this way? Why do I have to be delayed for so so long? I really thought it was a big mistake na I skipped that exam,” she shared.

“I was so lost. I had to endure all the judgments. It’s so painful to think that I am such a failure. I was definitely unmotivated because of the uncertainties.”

So, she didn’t tell anyone that she would take the May 2022 exam – and surprised them all when she passed with flying colors, ranking as the #2. Wow.

It was a good thing she didn’t give up and let the pressure hinder the road to her dreams.

How Many Times Can You Take the CPA Board Exam?

In the Philippines, there isn’t a limit to how many times you take the board exams until you finally pass. This is a good idea considering that the national passing rate is usually around 50%.

A breadwinner call center agent who juggled studies with career is set to graduate from college – and her story inspires other working students out there who are feeling like they might not make it through the challenges they’re facing in life.

Call Center Agent to Graduate from College

The BPO (business process outsourcing) industry continues to grow strong in the Philippines, allowing millions of people to find good-paying jobs, often as call center agents, customer service representatives, virtual assistants, sales agents, or similar careers.

But the call center industry is also well known for its night shifts, no thanks to the big difference in time zones between the Philippines and their clients from other countries.

That’s why BPO workers are often called as “bayaning puyat” because they don’t sleep at night. There’s an advantage to that, however, because some were able to study, open a business, or even find a secondary job during the daytime hours without worrying about schedule conflicts at work.

Nika Javier is one of these BPO workers who juggled her job with her studies.

She’s the family’s breadwinner, but she also managed to allocate funds for her studies.

The inspiring young lady shared that she was able to find a job as call center agent right after she graduated from Grade 12. She got hired in May 2018.

But she also enrolled at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila to take up Advertising and Public Relations.

She excelled at work, getting promoted up the ranks from an ordinary call center agent to SME (Subject Matter Expert, then to TL (Team Leader).

She’s in her final semester at school and set to graduate soon.

Her advice to other students:

“Kagaya ng lagi kong reply sa comment section, ‘laban lang’. Walang madaling course o work, palaging mahirap, laging may need isacrifice- laban lang.”

@elnicandra

Wag nawa ma jinx HAHAHA #estudyantesaumaga #callcenterlife #Gagraduate na si TL #bayaningpuyat #workingstudent

♬ Que Sera Sera by Billianne – Billianne

Minimum Educational Requirements for BPO Job

Different companies have varied requirements, and these could also vary in terms of the position you’re applying for. But some companies already accept graduates of the K-12 program, while others still require at least two years in college or even college graduates.

A pair of newlyweds discovered on their wedding day that they were baptized by the same priest on the same day! They believe that this is God’s perfect plan and that they are destined to be together forever. We think so, too!

Newlyweds Baptized by the Same Priest on Same Day

Do you remember the story of the boy who randomly kissed a girl he met in Baguio City and married her 30 years later? Here’s a similar story, but the couple didn’t know they actually met as babies.

When Mr. & Mrs. Marlon and Ken Loyce Panaligan planned to get married, they thought all along that they met on November 4, 2017 – because that’s the date that they can remember and never forget. It’s a beautiful milestone in their lives.

However, what they didn’t know is that they had actually “met” as babies as they were baptized by the same priest on the same day.

During their wedding ceremony at the Parish of Sto. Niño de Lipa, they were asked by the priest to confirm when they first met. It was like a quiz, but the two got the same answer: November 4, 2017.

They were surprised, however, when the priest told them that they were wrong because their first meeting was on November 4, 2000! They were both baptized by Fr. Rodem Ramos, the parish would share in a post that amazed netizens.

This information was confirmed by the dates and the priest’s signature on their baptismal certificates!

“Ang galing talaga ng timing ng Diyos!” the parish also added in their post.

What really amazed netizens is that the two met, for the second time, on the anniversary of their first meeting, even if they didn’t even know about it.

Many netizens think that these two are really meant for each other.

“Wow!meant to be nga! Minsan lng yan mangyaring sabay bininyagan at pareho din ang pari s binyag at kasal nila,” one netizen commented.

Some netizens also commented that they must be soulmates.

Is Baptism Required in the Philippines?

Baptism isn’t required by law. However, this rite is followed by Christians, with the Roman Catholic Church often requiring a baptismal certificate before a person can go through certain rites, such as becoming a godparent or getting married.