Davao City, Philippines—The son of a ‘puto’ vendor is inspiring thousands of people on social media after he got the second highest score in the latest certified public accountant (CPA) board exam.
Kimjames Sarapanan Manalo from The COR Jesu College of Digos (CJC) school garnered a score of 91.83 percent, just a few percentage points lower than the No.1 Karim Gonzales Abitago of the Universal Colleges of Paranaque who got 92.17 percent. It is the first time for the college to break into the top 10 for the CPA exams.
Manalo is the son of a ‘puto’ [ricecake] vendor. He faced a lot of challenges and difficulties to finish his studies, but he made it. He graduated magna cum laude at CJC in 2015 and took a year for review school.
Kimjames from from barangay Dulangan, Digos City and is a product of public education from elementary to high school, graduating as salutatorian at Ruparan Elementary School in 2007 and salutatorian again at Ruparan National High School in 2011.
The sixth and youngest among the brood of Anastacio and Nelda Manalo, he is described by his parents as “Hilumon kayo, mag sige rag study sakwarto (Quiet and would always study in the room).”
The son of a puto vendor, there is little to go by and so he would often walk to school. When he goes to the mall, he’d just sit around reading a book instead of shopping since there’s no shopping money to start with. He’d often go to school without any allowance, his parents said. His schooling at CJC was made possible by being a Benedictine scholar.
“My family is my inspiration,” he said, “I dream of having my own firm.” It was continuous study, readings, and prayers that helped him cop the distinction, he told SunStar.
