by Nicholle Sagana and Wendy Ligaya
With perseverance, dedication to her profession, and natural charm that goes well with her bubbly personality, Ma Elena M. Litao became an immensely successful career woman in her field. She could manage nerve-racking jobs and responsibilities while staying on top of her social life. Her cleverness and genuine love for students made her an excellent professor, a friend, and a person who you could depend on through times of difficulties and uncertainties.
She finished her degree at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in year 2005. Although BS Accountancy was not her first choice, she was a consistent Dean’s Lister from 2001 to 2004. She was also a multi-talented student back then. When she was not busy fulfilling her duties and obligations as JPIA VP for Academics (2003-2004) and JPIA EVP-External (2004-2005), she sings, dances, acts, and performs during assemblies and other school-related events. After passing the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Examination, she worked as an Associate-In-Charge at SGV & Co. from year 2005 to 2007. Following those two years of experience, she was hired as finance manager of Falcon Waterfree Philippines, Inc. from year 2008 to 2009 and became a part-time Faculty staff at Adamson University. She worked as a professor at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and became the adviser of JPIA-PLM afterwards.
There are more to Ma’am Mayel than just being an aggressive and competitive CPA. She has a happy and sweet disposition in life. Her contagious smile and her great sense of humor are few of her best assets. She also has passion for fashion. She wears simple yet captivating outfits that show her impeccable sense of style and timeless beauty. Her confidence and presentable looks could easily catch everyone’s attention. She gives candid opinions and straight to the point comments not to criticize students but to prepare them to be strong and to teach them how to accept mistakes. She is aware of the possibilities of rejection in the future that they may encounter and she wants them to continue striving towards their goals despite all the hindrances. “At first glance she may look intimidating and snobbish, but as soon as you get to know her you will realize that no other professor can be as kind and selfless as she is,” says Ysabelle Guinto, VP for Communications, JPIA-PLM.
This outstanding professor has a different teaching approach. She relates certain accounting topics to current issues and other relevant events, making every discussion more interesting. She has a way of making subject matters easy to understand. Every class loves the quizzes she makes. They are exciting, challenging, and promote healthy competition among the students. Prizes are also awarded to winning teams. Who would have thought that answering tough questions could be so much fun? The class is over before you even know it. And somehow you want to ask for more.
For you to get to know her better, we asked her a few questions.
The accounting profession offers bigger opportunities in the corporate world or in other arenas, why then did you choose to become a teacher?
I just tried to be one as I was a bit bored and I just want to live a simple life. In academe, I get to be humble and a person of integrity (something that is hard to practice in the corporate world).
More money= more problems.
Define happiness.
Simple.
What is the role of a CPA in nation-building?
CPAs control all the transactions in the private sector and the government. We make the administrators look good or bad. It’s either we stop them (from being a corrupt) or we help them (steal money).
How do you want yourself to be known or remembered as/for?
I want to be known as the person who made a difference (in the accountancy profession).
People say ignorance is bliss. If so, why do you think we still strive to seek knowledge?
I don’t know what others say about it but when I learn something, I feel like I become more beautiful. Haha. Seriously, I feel more confident about myself and I feel the need to share that knowledge to others.
You are most likely with a man who has?
A lot of money. Haha. Joke. I just want someone who respects me and will really take good care of me.
Ma’am Litao is undeniably an inspiration to all accounting students. She depicts a person of integrity and dignity. It is pretty amazing that someone like her, who has experienced the joys of wealth, is still humble. She says that you could never be a CPA if you never really want to be one, reminding her students that they should love what they do, and the only things that they should do are the things that they love. They learned so much from her like choosing brains over beauty, actions over words, truth over promises, reality over perception, analysis over impression, and most of all, substance over form. She’s the beacon of light in their cold, dark, and stressful accounting days. Her words would remain inside their hearts. And no matter where she goes, they know that everything that life throws at her would just be new notches on her belt: newly-found success, great wisdom, and unforgettable experience.
With perseverance, dedication to her profession, and natural charm that goes well with her bubbly personality, Ma Elena M. Litao became an immensely successful career woman in her field. She could manage nerve-racking jobs and responsibilities while staying on top of her social life. Her cleverness and genuine love for students made her an excellent professor, a friend, and a person who you could depend on through times of difficulties and uncertainties.
She finished her degree at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in year 2005. Although BS Accountancy was not her first choice, she was a consistent Dean’s Lister from 2001 to 2004. She was also a multi-talented student back then. When she was not busy fulfilling her duties and obligations as JPIA VP for Academics (2003-2004) and JPIA EVP-External (2004-2005), she sings, dances, acts, and performs during assemblies and other school-related events. After passing the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Examination, she worked as an Associate-In-Charge at SGV & Co. from year 2005 to 2007. Following those two years of experience, she was hired as finance manager of Falcon Waterfree Philippines, Inc. from year 2008 to 2009 and became a part-time Faculty staff at Adamson University. She worked as a professor at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and became the adviser of JPIA-PLM afterwards.
There are more to Ma’am Mayel than just being an aggressive and competitive CPA. She has a happy and sweet disposition in life. Her contagious smile and her great sense of humor are few of her best assets. She also has passion for fashion. She wears simple yet captivating outfits that show her impeccable sense of style and timeless beauty. Her confidence and presentable looks could easily catch everyone’s attention. She gives candid opinions and straight to the point comments not to criticize students but to prepare them to be strong and to teach them how to accept mistakes. She is aware of the possibilities of rejection in the future that they may encounter and she wants them to continue striving towards their goals despite all the hindrances. “At first glance she may look intimidating and snobbish, but as soon as you get to know her you will realize that no other professor can be as kind and selfless as she is,” says Ysabelle Guinto, VP for Communications, JPIA-PLM.
This outstanding professor has a different teaching approach. She relates certain accounting topics to current issues and other relevant events, making every discussion more interesting. She has a way of making subject matters easy to understand. Every class loves the quizzes she makes. They are exciting, challenging, and promote healthy competition among the students. Prizes are also awarded to winning teams. Who would have thought that answering tough questions could be so much fun? The class is over before you even know it. And somehow you want to ask for more.
For you to get to know her better, we asked her a few questions.
The accounting profession offers bigger opportunities in the corporate world or in other arenas, why then did you choose to become a teacher?
I just tried to be one as I was a bit bored and I just want to live a simple life. In academe, I get to be humble and a person of integrity (something that is hard to practice in the corporate world).
More money= more problems.
Define happiness.
Simple.
What is the role of a CPA in nation-building?
CPAs control all the transactions in the private sector and the government. We make the administrators look good or bad. It’s either we stop them (from being a corrupt) or we help them (steal money).
How do you want yourself to be known or remembered as/for?
I want to be known as the person who made a difference (in the accountancy profession).
People say ignorance is bliss. If so, why do you think we still strive to seek knowledge?
I don’t know what others say about it but when I learn something, I feel like I become more beautiful. Haha. Seriously, I feel more confident about myself and I feel the need to share that knowledge to others.
You are most likely with a man who has?
A lot of money. Haha. Joke. I just want someone who respects me and will really take good care of me.
Ma’am Litao is undeniably an inspiration to all accounting students. She depicts a person of integrity and dignity. It is pretty amazing that someone like her, who has experienced the joys of wealth, is still humble. She says that you could never be a CPA if you never really want to be one, reminding her students that they should love what they do, and the only things that they should do are the things that they love. They learned so much from her like choosing brains over beauty, actions over words, truth over promises, reality over perception, analysis over impression, and most of all, substance over form. She’s the beacon of light in their cold, dark, and stressful accounting days. Her words would remain inside their hearts. And no matter where she goes, they know that everything that life throws at her would just be new notches on her belt: newly-found success, great wisdom, and unforgettable experience.
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