В Филиппинах наблюдается острый дефицит бухгалтеров из-за падения числа студентов

PHL sees decline in accountancy graduates The Philippines currently faces a decline in accountancy graduates and students, creating workforce gaps in the sector, according to an industry expert. “There’s been a noticeable decrease in students enrolling in accountancy programs at different schools, and it’s been going on like that for the last three or four years,” OneCFO Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jay Olos told BusinessWorld in an interview. “It’s now an ongoing struggle in a lot of accounting firms, including the Big Four,” he added. “There’s really a talent shortage of accountants.” Data from the P&A Grant Thornton Philippines showed that accounting program enrollees have dropped by 41%, while Certified Public Accountant (CPA) board examinees declined by 35% from 2019 to 2023. In the May 2026 CPA Licensure Examinations, only 3,004 of 9,745 examinees passed. Mr. Olos noted that the decline in accountancy students may be due to several factors, including technology’s influence in the field. “I think it’s a generational thing. Right now, our younger generations prefer other professions or lean towards accounting technology,” he said. “In Australia, there are courses there that are leaning towards students learning the technology behind the numbers.” Apart from low enrolments, many CPAs are also leaving the field in search of better job opportunities. “We accountants have high demand in other countries…A lot of people are leaving, going to other countries. Others are going to shared services, also serving another country,” the OneCFO executive said. As the younger generation continues to lose interest in exploring professional careers in the field, Mr. Olos warned that it may impact the country’s economy. “Accountants are the ones who calculate, file and make sure that these small businesses are paying enough taxes,” he said. “Without these accountants, just imagine how much it will impact the taxes being collected by the government.” “In order for our economy to grow, I think we really need to, as an accountant myself, promote to students to take up accountancy as their course in college and also as their profession,” he added. The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) said that the country has produced only around 199,000 CPAs in the past century. — Almira Louise S. Martinez