The UPV College of Management (CM) team is a national finalist in the Philippine local finals of the 15th CFA Institute Research Challenge (IRC).
The Team Powerhouse Capital representing the University of the Philippines Visayas is composed of Mr. Vince P. Dela Peña (team captain), Ms. Cathlyn Ann V. Ganancial, Ms. Jessa Mae C. Javillo, Ms. Keassel Faye O. Talaman, and Mr. Lance Nicoudemus D. Tionko. All of them are 4th year BS in Accountancy students at the College of Management, Iloilo City campus. Ms. Iarl Chrystille Ilusorio, faculty of the Department of Accounting, was the coach of the team.
Only six teams advanced to the finals from a total of 24 team entries from 18 universities nationwide. The competition was held virtually via Zoom on February 16, 2023. The competing teams defended their investment recommendations through a 10-minute pre-recorded presentation followed by a 15-minute real-time Q&A before a panel of industry experts.
The UPV CM placed 3rd runner-up in the nationwide ranking. UP Diliman won the national championship, followed by the University of Sto. Tomas, and Ateneo de Manila University. Meanwhile, Ateneo de Davao University and the University of San Carlos placed fifth and sixth, respectively.
Now in its 15th year, the Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides a venue for university students to assume the role of an investment research analyst and gain real-life training and experience in financial analysis, equity investment management, and professional ethics.
The main task of the competition is for the teams to research and analyze the financial metrics and determine the stock valuation of a designated publicly-listed company. A listed company is one whose equity securities are traded on the local stock exchange. The team prepared a full equity research report on that subject company that provides a recommendation on whether to buy, sell, or hold the company’s stocks. This year’s subject company is Aboitiz Power, a major player in the energy and utilities sector.
The IRC local contest is organized by the CFA Society Philippines, a non-profit association composed of professional portfolio managers, security analysts, investment advisers, and other finance and investment practitioners. Being a component of the CFA Institute, a global association of investment professionals, the CFA Society Philippines aims to take the lead in improving the quality and standards of the financial profession in the country. (With sources from the CFA Society Philippines, CFA Institute, and Ms. Ilusorio)
