MAGIS: Into the Unknown
Marjorie S. Bandola, CPA, CMA

“What is life without a little risk?” – J.K. Rowling

My journey towards the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification started from seeking more in life.  When I took and passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) board exam five (5) years ago, I told myself that it’s enough and will be the first and last exam I will ever take. But later on, while I’m passionately working as a CPA, I realized that the standard and way of life are moving too fast and advanced which calls the need for me to become more relevant and helpful in the work industry that I’m currently in.

When I got to plan my life and realized that I want to try and pursue opportunities outside the country, one of my senior colleagues mentioned that I can try CMA exam to gain leverage from others especially abroad. It sounds great and exciting but it’s also too risky and scary. But one day, it just happened that my circumstances made me realized that I need to have courage and take risks to experience and find new meaning in life. I realized that nothing will ever happen to me if I let my fear rule over me. I need to go out of my comfort zone and try something new to have something new.

Working while studying is no joke – given also that we’re doing it virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. There were times that I got so stressed out because my work demands a lot of time and got worried that I might not give much time to study for the exam. I can’t afford to fail and pay again because it’s too expensive and I don’t want to relive the review process. This is why, I really see to it that I got to have the discipline and consistency needed during review classes and self-review schedules. For me, passing the exam is a combination of self-discipline, hard work and faith.

Now that I already passed and is a CMA myself, I can say that it’s all worth it – the sacrifices, sleepless nights, doubts, time, fears, risks and money. We have to take risks and work hard for something that we want. As for me, I wanted to be different from others, wanted to explore opportunities and wanted to prove to myself once more that I can!

Plan and do the things you want to do and achieve. Continue to aspire for the things that will keep you feel alive and will help other people and the country. Embrace the struggle and trust the process, yourself and God – together you can achieve more.

About the Author:

Marjorie Soria Bandola is a CPA and a graduate of BS Accountancy from Ateneo de Naga University, Cum Laude, October 2014. She’s currently working at the country’s largest and leading accounting and auditing firm ever since she passed the CPALE in 2015. She successfully passed the CMA exam last July/October 2020 testing windows.