Dynamic ascent
R.G. MANABAT & Co. (RGM&Co.) is a member firm of KPMG International, one of the world’s “big four” auditors. Since 2007, under the leadership of Roberto G. Manabat, chairman and chief executive officer, and Emmanuel P. Bonoan, vice chairman, head of tax and chief operating officer, the fi rm has tripled its manpower, has grown its revenues and has expanded its client base.
Its fast-paced progress has earned R.G. Manabat & Co. the distinctions of being one of the leading professional services firms in the country with a strong mar- ket share and the fastest growing member firm of KPMG in the Asia Pacific region.
As a multidisciplinary practice composed of accountants, lawyers, economists and statisticians, among others, the firm has been providing over 2,000 clients with audit, tax and advisory services. In doing so, it adopts a distinctive approach that has enabled it to accomplish so much in a short time.
“Many of our partners and directors do not only have public accounting experience… but also experience in the private sector… as CFOs (chief financial officers) of large companies. They also have had stints in government,” Mr. Manabat told BusinessWorld in an interview.
In fact, Mr. Manabat himself is the former general accountant of the Securities and Exchange Commission while Atty. Bonoan is a former Undersecretary of the Department of Finance. With their diverse backgrounds coupled with extensive local and international trainings, the people of the firm are able to grasp the business operations, industries and the unique requirements of their clients to produce realworld solutions.
But their prof ic i enc y do e s not come at the expense of their principles. “We actually can help them strategize on how to achieve their objectives
at the same time, without compromising what we believe in as former public servants,” Atty. Bonoan said.
He continued, “We make sure that from the auditing perspective, our clients are good corporate citizens as well. It’s our responsibility to help them be good corporate citizens.”
Being a member fi rm of KPMG, the people of R.G. Manabat & Co. constantly stick to the values of respect, honesty and integrity, to name a few, in interacting with their clients as well as their colleagues. Through these values, the firm has attracted and kept quality people and has enhanced its reputation.
Besides its services, the fi rm has also been engaging in various corporate social responsibility initiatives. In light of the Typhoon Yolanda, for instance, KPMG International and R.G. Manabat & Co. launched a fund drive. The money raised was donated to humanitarian partners who facilitated the rehabilitation of the affected areas. The staff themselves gave monetary donations and goods and lent a hand in the relief operations.
Moreover, Mr. Manabat was recently appointed as the new chairman of the Auditing and Assurance Standards Council (AASC), a body authorized to establish and promulgate generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) in the Philippines. Manabat’s focus will be to further reinforce the development, adoption, and implementation of high quality auditing and assurance standards among professionals of the practice with AASC’s continued committed to strengthen public confidence in financial reporting. He also serves as a trustee of the Institute of Corporate Directors, an organization that aims to raise the standards of corporate governance in the Philippines.
Through the years, on account of its notable performance, R.G. Manabat & Co. has been recognized as the Tier 1 tax practice in 2015, the Tier 1 leading tax transactional fi rm in 2014, and the Tier 1 transactional advisory fi rm in the Philippines in 2013, all by the International Tax Review.
It has also significantly increased its market share for the past years in auditing the top 1,000 corporations in the Philippines (a list of which is published annually by BusinessWorld).
One of the fi rm’s main intent, in the short and long term, is to continue to invest in the development of its people, attributing the success of RGM& Co. to the professionals who remained steadfast and focused in delivering a commendable performance in serving their clients. Likewise, Atty. Bonoan said they also aim to foster the future leaders of the firm. The promising individuals undergo a special training program to advance their skills and help them grow their careers as they move towards being the leaders of the fi rm.
All these are instrumental in sustaining the dynamic ascent of R.G. Manabat & Co.
“We make sure that from the auditing perspective, our clients are good corporate citizens as well. It’s our responsibility to help them be good corporate citizens.”