Former UP College of Business Administration Professor Manuel S. Alba, PhD. passed away on March 19, 2023. He previously served the College as Chairman of the Department of Accounting and Business Administration (1963-1964), Director of Graduate Studies (1964-1965; 1969-1970), Chairman of the Department of Marketing (1968-1971; 1972-1973), and Chief of the Division of Business Research (1968-1969). He taught Public Policy and Business, Marketing Management, Introduction to Management, and Philippine Business Environment.

He also facilitated the approval of Executive Order 714, which pushed for the fiscal control and the management of funds of the University of the Philippines, in his capacity as Minister of the Budget and Management in the 1970s. This has ensured the fiscal autonomy of the University to control its internally-generated resources. 

He also served as the Quezon City Administrator (1992-2001), as Chief of the Staff to the Department of Trade and Industry Secretary (2002) and as Board of Investments Governor (2002).

The community extends its condolences to Dr. Alba's family, friends, and loved ones.

Alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) were proclaimed recipients of “Centenary Awards of Excellence” and “Recognition Awards for the Board of Accountancy Members” during the celebration of the Centenary Year of the Accountancy Profession in the Philippines, led by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

Several are graduates and active alumni of the Cesar EA Virata School of Business. Congratulations to the awardees!

The full article can be viewed here: https://up.edu.ph/up-alumni-conferred-accountancy-centenary-awards-of-excellence-and-recognition-awards/

Five BS Business Administration & Accountancy students of the Virata School of Business bagged the Local Championship of the 15th CFA Institute Research Challenge hosted by the CFA Society Philippines last 16 February 2023. The team, composed of Gracylyn Mikhaela D. Arada, Hector F. Deato, Marnelle Maxine G. Ortiz, Julianne Nicole L. Vitug, and Christian Martin R. Salgado, bested five other schools in the Local Finals.

The team will represent the Philippines in the Subregional stage later this year. The VSB team was coached by Kevin John D. Dela Cruz of the Department of Accounting & Finance.

Congratulations to the team and their coach, and best of luck in the Subregional stage!

Less than a month to go before the 2022 Alumni Homecoming on 11 February 2023 (Saturday), 10 AM at the Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business in UP Diliman. Honoree batches are invited to RSVP through your batch coordinators in the attached list. Ticket prices at Php 1,500. For interested corporate sponsors, sponsorship packages are available through Raquel Avante at rmavante1@up.edu.ph. Thanks and see you there!

UP VSB Internal Shifting Applications for 2nd Semester 2022-2023 are NOW OPEN!

Only applicants transferring from BA BAA to BA BA will be entertained. Visit https://tinyurl.com/VSBShiftingInternal or scan the QR code to access shifting requirements.

Deadline for submission of requirements through the online form is on 31 January 2023 (Tuesday), 11:59 PM.

The Cesar EA Virata School of Business welcomes the new year with a refreshed slate of administration leadership, helmed by the new Dean, Dr. Maria Regina Lucia M. Lizares.

In the photo are the members of the VSB Executive Committee, from left to right:

• Prof. Mikhael Anjelu B. Magana, Undergraduate Programs Director 

• Dr. Dave DG. Centeno, PhD Program Director 

• Prof. Josel Richa Ann D. Rivera, Masters Programs Director 

• Dr. Maria Regina Lucia M. Lizares, Dean 

• Prof. Ma. Angelica Esmera Calso, Department of Accounting and Finance Chair 

• Dr. Erik Paolo S. Capistrano, College Secretary, and

• Prof. Luis Diego D. Lee, Department of Business Administration Chair

The team completed its Strategic Planning for 2023 and beyond last 9 January 2023, and is looking forward to serving the VSB community.

The UP Virata School of Business will be hosting the 2022 UP VSB Alumni Homecoming on 11 February 2023 (Saturday) from 10 AM to 2 PM. This year, the honoree classes are 1962 (Diamond), 1967 (Emerald), 1972 (Golden), 1977 (Sapphire), 1982 (Ruby), 1987 (Coral), 1992 (Pearl), 1997 (Silver), and BSBAA Class 2022 who passed the 2022 CPA Licensure Examination. All BSBA, BSBAA, MBA, MS Finance, MS Management, and PhD graduates of Classes 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017 will also be invited. 

To ensure the timely delivery of invitations to honoree classes, all VSB alumni may update their profile through the following link: https://tinyurl.com/VSBAlumniProfile.

Everyone is invited to attend the Professorial Chair Lecture Series this December. The schedules and link to the Zoom lecture are as follows:

Dr. Ben Paul B. Gutierrez

Topic: Jollibee Foods Corporation: Opportunities and Risks

Date and Time: 9 Dec 2022 (Friday), 11 AM

Dr. Debbie Chua Bun Pho

Topic: Board Diversity in Selected Philippine Industries

Date and Time: 15 Dec 2022 (Thursday), 11 AM

Prof. James Ryan O. Jonas

Topic: Profile of Loan Customers in UP and Policy Implications for UP Provident Fund

Date and Time: 15 Dec 2022 (Thursday), 1 PM

Dr. Daniel Vincent H. Borja

Topic: Duration and Practical Applications

Date and Time: 21 Dec 2022 (Wednesday), 1 PM

Topic: UPVSB Professorial Chair and Faculty Grant Lectures

Join Zoom Meeting

https://up-edu.zoom.us/j/97566340385

Meeting ID: 975 6634 0385

Passcode: VSBLects

The schedule for Faculty Grant Lectures will follow.

The school will honor its alumni who have outstanding accomplishments in the field of Business Management, and/or Entrepreneurship, and/or public service. Nominations for the 2022 UP VSB Distinguished Alumni Awards are now open.

The awardees, along with the 2021 awardees, will be honored during the annual alumni homecoming on Saturday, February 11, 2023 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) at the UP VSB Building. This year, the honoree classes are 1962 (Diamond), 1967 (Emerald), 1972 (Golden), 1977 (Sapphire), 1982 (Ruby), 1987 (Coral), 1992 (Pearl), 1997 (Silver), and BSBAA Class 2022 who passed the 2022 CPA Licensure Examination. All BSBA, BSBAA, MBA, MS Finance, MS Management, and PhD graduates of Classes 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017 will also be 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 accomplished nomination form (https://tinyurl.com/VSBDAA2022) and justification should be emailed to the Alumni Awards Committee (vsbdean.upd@up.edu.ph) no later than Friday, January 6, 2023, 5:00 PM. 

In its 1375th meeting held 10 November 2022, the UP Board of Regents appointed Associate Professor Maria Regina Lucia M. Lizares, Ph.D. as the Dean of the Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business. 

Dr. Lizares will serve as the 15th Dean of the VSB.

Thirty (30) graduates of the UP Virata School of Business successfully hurdled the October 2022 Certified Public Accountants Licensure Examination. The new CPAs are from the BS Business Administration and Accountancy Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Over-all, the school registered a passing rate of 88.29%, with 30 passers out of 34 examinees. The Professional Regulation Commission announced that there are 1,722 new CPAs out of 6,665 examinees, or a national passing rate of 25.84%.

Among the new CPAs from UP VSB, four (4) were recognized as topnotchers: Lorenz D. Nalica (6th place), Angelica D. Igna (7th place), Keith Daniel A. Dee (8th place), and Loudette Remirose C. Tejada (8th place).

The successful examinees will formally take their oath later this year.

Congratulations to our new CPAs!