ACCOUNTANTS should not be mere mechanical functionaries of numbers and statistics but should display dexterity in analytics and technology.
Thomasian accountant and philanthropist Washington Sycip, co-founder of the one of the largest accounting firms in Asia, called for the country’s Accountancy curriculum to focus on developing students’ analytical and technology skills rather than teaching them to be mere auditors.
“Upgraded curriculum is crucial in producing well-rounded accountants to have a strong understanding of the business both in theory and in practice,” SyCip, co-founder of the SyCip, Gorres, Velayo & Co., the first accounting firm in the country, said in his lecture “The Relevance of Accounting and Accountants Today and Beyond” last Nov. 9, at the AMV College of Accountancy.
SyCip, a UST Accountancy alumnus, stressed the accountant’s role to build up the financial integrity of a business or a market.
“Businesses are looking for versatile accountants that can occupy critical management positions who can leverage their knowledge and information skills,” he said.
SyCip also predicted increased expectations for accountants since “much of the traditional number-crunching transaction work in the preparation of financial statements can now be handled by advanced computer programs.”
“The advent of globalization, such as cross-border transactions and more complex deals demand that accountants keep abreast of developments,” SyCip said.
As a final note, SyCip reminded the students to ensure fair and transparent financial statements and to deal with finances with integrity guided by proper ethical values they have learned from the University.
“Accountants must not lose sight of their core purpose and their accountability to the public,” he said. Jamaila S. Cahilig with reports from Marc Laurenze Celis
