CHAPTER 1
THE ACCOUNTANCY PROFESSION
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
To understand the definition of accounting.
To identify the overall objective of accounting.
To describe the practice of the accountancy profession in the
Philippines.
To understand the Continuing Professional Development in
the field of accounting.
To know the meaning of generally accepted accounting
principles.
To identify the standard-setting body in the Philippines.
To describe the creation of the International Accounting
Standards Board.
To know the meaning of IFRS.
Scanned with CamScannerDEFINITION OF ACCOUNTING
The Accounting Standards Council provides the following
definition:
Accounting is a service activity.
The accounting function is to provide quantitative information,
primarily financial in nature, about economic entities, that is
intended to be useful in making economic decision.
The Committee on Accounting Terminology of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines accounting
as follows:
Accounting is the art of recording, classifying and summarizing in
a significant manner and in terms of money, transactions and events
which are in part at least of a financial character and interpreting
the results thereof.
The American Accounting Association in its Statement of
Basic Accounting Theory defines accounting as follows:
Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring and
communicating economic information to permit informed
judgment and decision by users of the information.
Scanned with CamScannerImportant points
The following important points made in the definition of
accounting should be noted:
One ~ Accounting is about quantitative information,
Two ~ The information is likely to be financial in nature,
Three — The information should be useful in decision
making.
The definition that has stood the test of time is the definition given
by the American Accounting Association.
‘This definition states that the very purpose of accounting is to provide
quantitative information to be useful in making an economic decision.
The definition also states that accounting has a number of
components, namely:
a. Identifying as the analytical component.
b. Measuring as the technical component.
c, Communicating as the formal component.
Identifying
This accounting process is the recognition or nonrecognition
of business activities as “accountable” events.
Not all business activities are accountable.
For example, the hiring of employees, the death of the entity
president and the entering into a contract are all business
activities but such events are not accountable because they
cannot be quantified or expressed in terms of a unit of measure.
An event is accountable or quantifiable when it has an
effect on assets, liabilities and equity.
In other words, the subject matter of accounting is economic
activity or the measurement of economic resources and
economic obligations.
Only economic activities are emphasized and recognized in
accounting.
Sociological and psychological matters are beyond the
province of accounting.
Scanned with CamScannerExternal and internal transactions
Economic activities of an entity are referred to as transactions
which may be classified as external and internal.
External transactions or exchange transactions are those
economic events involving one entity and another entity,
Examples of external transactions are:
a. Purchase of goods from a supplier
b. Borrowing money from a bank
c. Sale of goods to a customer
d. Payment of salaries to employees
e. Payment of taxes to the government
Internal transactions are economic events involving the
entity only.
Internal transactions are the economic activities that take
place entirely within the entity.
Production and casualty loss are examples of internal
transactions.
Production is the process by which resources are transformed
into products.
Casualty is any sudden and unanticipated loss from fire,
flood, earthquake and other event ordinarily termed as an
act of God.
Measuring
This accounting process is the assigning of peso amounts
to the accountable economic transactions and events,
Tf accounting information is to be useful, it must be expressed
in terms of a common financial denominator.
Financial statements without monetary amounts would be
largely unintelligible or incomprehensible.
The Philippine peso is the unit of measuring accountable
economic transactions,
The measurement bases are historical cost and current value.
Historical cost is the original acquisition cost and the most
common measure of financial transactions,
Current value includes fair value, value in. use, fulfillment
value and current cost,
Scanned with CamScannerCommunicating
Communicating is the process of preparing and distributing
accounting reports to potential users of accounting information.
Identifying and measuring are pointless if the information
contained in the accounting records cannot be communicated
in some form to potential users.
Actually, the communicating process is the reason why
accounting has been called the “universal language of business”.
Implicit in the communication process are the recording,
classifying and summarizing aspects of accounting.
Recording or journalizing is the process of systematically
maintaining a record of all economic business transactions
after they have been identified and measured.
Classifying is the sorting or grouping of similar and
interrelated economic transactions into their respective classes.
Classifying is accomplished by posting to the ledger.
The ledger is a group of accounts which are systematically
categorized into asset accounts, liability accounts, equity
accounts, revenue accounts and expense accounts.
Summarizing is the preparation of financial statements
which include the statement of financial position, income
statement, statement of comprehensive income, statement of
changes in equity and statement of cash flows.
Accounting as an information system
Accounting is an information system that measures business
activities, processes information into reports and
communicates the reports to decision makers.
A key product of this information system is a set of financial
statements — the documents that report financial information
about an entity to decision makers.
Financial reports tell us how well an entity is performing in
terms of profit and loss and where it stands in financial terms.
Scanned with CamScannerOverall objective of accounting
The overall objective of accounting is to provide ooectale
financial information aboul a business ooh ts dite to
statement users particularly owners and cre ‘8 in
making economic decisions.
An accountant’s primary task is to supply, financial
information so that the statement users could make informed
judgment and better decision.
The essence of accounting is decision-usefulness.
Investors and other users are interested in financial
accounting information necessary in making important and
significant economic decisions.
THE ACCOUNTANCY PROFESSION
At present, Republic Act No. 9298 is the law regulating the
practice of accountancy in the Philippines.
This law is known as the Philippine Accountancy Act of 2004.
Accountancy has developed as a profession attaining a status
equivalent to that of law and medicine.
In the Philippines, in order to qualify to practice the
accountancy profession, a person must finish a degree in
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and pass a very difficult
government examination given by the Board of Accountancy.
The Board of Accountancy is the body authorized by law to
promulgate rules and regulations affecting the practice of the
accountancy profession in the Philippines.
The Board of Accountancy is responsible for preparing and
grading the Philippine CPA examination.
This computer-based examination is offered twice a year, one
in May and another one in October, in authorized testing centers
around the country.
Scanned with CamScannerLimitation of the practice of public accountancy
Single practitioners and partnerships for the practice of public
accountancy shall be registered certified public accountants in
the Philippines.
A certificate of accreditation shall be issued to certified public
accountants in public practice only upon showing in accordance
with rules and regulations promulgated by the Board of
Accountancy and approved by the Professional Regulation
Commission that such registrant has acquired a minimum of
three years of meaningful experience in any of the areas of
public practice including taxation.
The Securities and Exchange Commission shall not register
any corporation organized for the practice of public accountancy.
Accreditation to practice public accountancy
Certified public accountants, firms and partnerships of certified
public accountants, including partners and staff members
thereof, are required to register with the Board of Accountancy
and Professional Regulation Commission for the practice of
public accountancy.
The Professional Regulation Commission upon favorable
recommendation of the Board of Accountancy shall issue the
Certificate of Registration to practice public accountancy
which shall be valid for 3 years and renewable every 3
years upon payment of required fees.
Certified Public Accountants generally practice their
profession in three main areas, namely:
a. Public accounting
b. Private accounting
c. Government accounting.
Scanned with CamScannerPUBLIC ACCOUNTING
The field of public accounting or public accountancy is comy
of individual practitioners, small accounting firms and storey
multinational organizations that render independent and expert
financial services to the public.
ntants usually offer three kinds of services,
Public accou! 8 , c
taxation and management advisory services,
namely auditing,
As a matter of fact, l
separate division sfor each of
Auditing
Auditing has traditionally been the primary service offered
by most public accounting practitioners.
rnal auditing is the examination of financial
statements by independent certified public accountant for the
purpose of expressing an opinion as to the fairness with which
the financial statements are prepared.
Actually, external auditing is the attest function of
independent CPAs.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue requires audited financial
statements to accompany the filing of annual income tax return.
Banks and other lending institutions frequently require an
audit by an independent CPA before granting a loan to the
borrower.
Creditors and prospective investors place considerable
reliance on audited financial statements on making economic
decision.
large multinational accounting firms have
these services.
Auditing or extei
Taxation
Taxation service includes the preparation of annual income
tax returns and determination of tax consequences of certain
proposed business endeavors.
The CPA not infrequently represents the client in tax
investigations.
To offer this service effectively and efficiently, the public
accountant must be thoroughly familiar with the tax laws
and regulations and updated with changes in taxation law
and court cases concerned with interpreting taxation law.
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Scanned with CamScannerManagement advisory services
Management advisory services have become incroasingly
important in recent years although audit and tax services
are undoubtedly the mainstay of public accountants,
The term management advisory services has no precise
coverage but is used generally to refer to services to clients
on matters of accounting, finance, business policies,
organization procedures, product costs, distribution and
many other phases of business conduct and operations.
Specifically, management advisory services include:
Advice on installation of computer system
Quality control
Installation and modification of accounting system
. Budgeting
. Forward planning and forecasting
Design and modification of retirement plans
. Advice on mergers and consolidations
PRIVATE ACCOUNTING
Many Certified Public Accountants are employed in business
entities in various capacity as accounting staff, chief
accountant, internal auditor and controller.
Rmepo sp
‘The highest accounting officer in an entity is known as the
controller.
The major objective of the private accountant is to assist
management in planning and controlling the entity's
operations.
Private accounting includes maintaining the records,
producing the financial reports, preparing the budgets and
controlling and allocating the resources of the entity.
The private accountant has also the responsibility for the
determination of the various taxes the entity is obliged to
pay.
Scanned with CamScannerGOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING
i the proces,
rl nt accounting encompasses rocess of
Goreng, claselfying, summarizing and communicating qj}
neactl ‘ng the receipt and disposition of
actions involving p 1
qovertment funds and property and interpreting the results
thereof.
The focus of government accounting is the custody and
administration of public funds.
Many Certified Public Accountants are employed in many
branches of the government, more particularly:
a. Bureau of Internal Revenue
b. Commission on Audit
c. Department of Budget and Management
d. Securities and Exchange Commission
e. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)
Republic Act No. 10912 is the law mandating and
strengthening the continuing professional development
program for all regulated professions, including the
accountancy profession.
All certified public accountants shall abide by the
requirements, rules and regulations on continuing
professional development to be promulgated by the Board of
Accountancy, subject to the approval of the Professional
. Regulation Commission, in coordination with the accredited
national professional organization of certified public
accountants or any duly accredited educational institutions.
Continuing professional development refers to the inculcation
and acquisition of advanced knowledge, skill, proficiency, and
ethical and moral values after the initial registration of the
Certified Public Accountant for assimilation into professional
Practice and lifelong learning.
Continuing professional development raises and enhances the
technical skill and ifi :
sonteae competence of the Certified Public
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Scanned with CamScannerCPD credit units
The CPD credit units refer to the CPD credit hours required
for the renewal of CPA license and accreditation of a CPA to
practice the accountancy profession every three years.
Under the new BOA Resolution, all Certified Public
Accountants regardless of area or sector of practice shall be
required to comply with 120 CPD credit units.
The Continuing Professional Development is required for the
renewal of CPA license and accreditation of CPA to practice
the accountancy profession.
As recently promulgated, only 15 CPD credit units are
required for the renewal of CPA license.
However, 120 CPD credit units are required for
accreditation of a CPA to practice the accountancy profession.
Excess credit units earned shall not be carried over to the
next three-year period, except credit units earned for
masteral and doctoral degrees.
It is to be emphasized that the Continuing Professional
Development has become mandatory for Certified Public
Accountants.
Exemption from CPD
A CPA shall be permanently exempted from CPD
requirements upon reaching the age of 65 years.
However, this exemption applied only to the renewal of CPA
license and not for the purpose of accreditation to practice the
accountancy profession.
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Scanned with CamScannerAccounting versus auditing
In a broad sense, accounting embraces auditing.
Auditing is one of the areas of accounting specialization,
In a limited sense, accounting is essentially constructive j
nature. Accounting ceases when financial statements act
already prepared. ad
On the other hand, auditing is analytical. The work of an
auditor begins when the work of the accountant ends,
After the financial statements are prepared, the auditor wil]
begin to perform the task of auditing.
The auditor examines the financial statements to ascertain
whether they are in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
Accounting versus bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is procedural.and largely concerned with
development and maintenance of accounting records.
Bookkeeping is the “how” of accounting.
Accounting is conceptual and is concerned with the why,
reason or justification for any action adopted.
Bookkeeping is a procedural element of accounting as
arithmetic is a procedural element of mathematics.
Accounting versus accountancy
Broadly speaking, the two terms are synonymous because they
both refer to the entire field of accounting theory and practice.
Technically speaking, however accountancy refers to the
profession of accounting practice.
Accounting is used in reference only to a particular field of
accountancy such as public accounting, private accounting an
government accounting.
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Scanned with CamScannerFinancial accounting versus managerial accounting
Financial accounting is primarily concerned with the
recording of business transactions and the eventual
preparation of financial statements.
Financial accounting focuses on general purpose reports
known as financial statements intended for internal and
external users,
Financial accounting is the area of accounting that
emphasizes reporting to creditors and investors.
Managerial accounting is the accumulation and preparation
of financial reports for internal users only.
In other words, managerial accounting is the area of
accounting that emphasizes developing. accounting
information for use within an entity.
GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
Accounting has evolved through time changing with the needs
of society. As new types of transactions occur in trade and
commerce, accountants develop rules and procedures for
recording them.
These accounting rules, procedures and practices came to
be known as generally accepted accounting principles or
simply GAAP.
The principles have developed on the basis of experience,
reason, custom, usage and practical necessity.
Generally accepted accounting principles represent the rules,
procedures, practice and standards followed in the
preparation and presentation of financial statements.
Generally accepted accounting principles are like laws that
must be followed in financial reporting.
The process of establishing GAAP is a political process which
incorporates political actions of various interested user
groups as well as professional judgment, logic and research.
1
Scanned with CamScannerPurpose of accounting standards
The overall purpose of accounting standards is to identig,
proper accounting practices for the preparation and
presentation of financial statements.
s create a common understandin,
and users of financial statements
assets and liabilities.
Accounting standard:
between preparers
particularly the measurement of
A set of high-quality accounting standards is a necessity to
ensure comparability and uniformity in financial statements
based on the same financial information.
FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS COUNCIL
In the Philippines, the development of generally accepted
accounting principles is formalized initially through the
creation of the Accounting Standards Council or ASC.
1 Reporting Standards Council or FRSC now
The Financial
tandards Council.
replaces the Accounting S
The FRSC is the accounting standard setting body created
by the Professional Regulation Commission upon
recommendation of the Board of Accountancy to assist the
Board of Accountancy in carrying out its powers and functions
provided under R.A. Act No. 9298.
The main function is to establish and improve accounting
standards that will be generally accepted in the Philippines.
The accounting standards promulgated by the Financial
Reporting Standards Council constitute the "highest
hierarchy" of generally acoepted accounting principles in the
Philippines.
The approved statements of the FRSC are known a9
Philippine Accounting Standards or PAS and Philippine
Financial Reporting Standards or PFRS.
14
Scanned with CamScannerComposition of FRSC
The FRSC is composed of 15 members with a Chai
3 airm:
had been or is presently a senior accounting practitioner ara
14 representatives from the following:
Board of Accountancy
Securities and Exchange Commission
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Bureau of Internal Revenue
Commission on Audit
Major organization of preparers and users of
financial statements — Financial Executives Institute
of the Philippines or FINEX
Accredited national professional organization of CPAs:
Public Practice
Commerce and Industry
Academe or Education
Government
Total ‘
The Chairman and members of the FRSC shall haye a term
of 3 years renewable for another term. Any member of the
ASC shall not be disqualified from being appointed to the
FRSC. : :
Philippine Interpretations Committee
The Philippine Interpretations Committee or PIC was formed
by the FRSC in August 2006 and has replaced the
Interpretations Committee or IC formed by the Accounting
Standards Council in May 2000.
The role of the PIC is to prepare interpretations of PFRS for
approval by the FRSC and to provide timely guidance on
financial reporting issues not specifically addressed in
current PFRS.
In other words, interpretations are intended to give
authoritative guidance on issues that are likely to receive
divergent or unacceptable treatment because the standards
dc not provide specific and clearcut rules and guidelines.
Bee
IS loo 10 29 v0
The counterpart of the PIC in the United Kingdom is the
International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee
or IFRIC' which has already. replaced the ‘Standing
Interpretations Committee or IC.
‘ 15
Scanned with CamScannerINTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS COMMITTEE
The International Accounting Standards Committee or LAgg
is an independent private sector body, with the objective of
achieving uniformity in the accounting principles which arg
used by business and other organizations for financial
reporting around the world.
It was formed in June 1973 through an agreement made by
professional accountancy bodies from Australia, Canada,
France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, the
United Kingdom and Ireland, and the United States of
America. The IASC is headquartered in London, United
Kingdom.
Objectives of IASC
a. To formulate and publish in the public interest accounting
standards to be observed in the presentation of financial
statements and to promote their worldwide acceptance
and observance.
b. To work generally for the improvement and harmonization
of regulations, accounting standards and procedures
relating to the presentation of financial statements.
INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD
The International Accounting Standards Board or IASB now
replaces the International Accounting Standards Committee
or IASC.
The IASB publishes standards in a series of pronouncements
called International-Financial Reporting Standards or IFRS.
However, the IASB has adopted the body of standards issued
by the IASC.
The pronouncements of the IASC continue to be designated as
"International Accounting Standards" or IAS,
The IASB standard-setting process includes in the correct
order research, discussion paper, exposure draft an
accounting standard.
16
Scanned with CamScannerMove toward IFRS
In developing accounting standards that will be generally
accepted in the Philippines, standards issued by other
standard setting bodies such as the USA Financial Accounting
Standards Board (FASB) and the IASB are considered,
In the past years, most of the Philippine standards issued
are based on American accounting standards.
At present, the FRSC has adopted in their entirety all
International Accounting Standards and International
Financial Reporting Standards.
The move toward IFRS is essential to achieve the goal of one
uniform and globally accepted financial reporting standards.
The Philippines is fully compliant with IFRS effective
January 2005, a process which was started back in 1997 in
moving from USA GAAP to IFRS.
The following factors are considered in deciding to move
totally to international accounting standards:
a. Support of international accounting standards by
Philippine organizations, such as the Philippine SEC,
Board of Accountancy and PICPA.
b. Increasing jnternalization of business which has
heightened interest in a common language for financial
reporting.
c. Improvement of international accounting standards or
removal of free choices of accounting treatments.
d. Increasing recognition of international accounting
standards by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank"
and World Trade Organization.
17
Scanned with CamScannerPhilippine Financial Reporting Standards
uncil issues standards
The Financial Reporting Standards Co u f
“philippine Financial
in a series of pronouncements called
Reporting Standards" or PFRS.
‘The Philippine Financial Reporting Staridards collectively
include all of the following:
ting Standards which
. ilippi i ial Repor n
a. Philippine Financia Pp ting vancial Reporting
correspond to Internationa
Standards.
Reporting Standards are
The Philippine Financial ‘ )
counterpart in International
numbered the same as their
Financial Reporting Standards.
b. Philippine Accounting Standards which correspond to
International Accounting Standards.
The: Philippine Accounting Standards are numbered the
same as their counterpart in International Accounting
Standards.
c. Philippine Interpretations which correspond to
Interpretations of the IFRIC and the Standing
Interpretations Committee, and Interpretations
developed by the Philippine Interpretations Committee.
18.
Scanned with CamScannerQUESTIONS
1. Define accounting.
2, What are the important points made in the definition of
accounting?
3. Explain "identifying" as a component of accounting.
4, What are transactions?
§. Distinguish external transactions and internal
transactions.
6. When is a transaction accountable or quantifiable?
7. Explain "measuring" as a component of accounting?
8, What are the measurement bases used in accounting?
9, Explain "communicating" as component of accounting.
10, Explain recording, classifying and summarizing in
relation to the communicating component of accounting.
11. Explain why accounting has been called the "universal
language of business".
12, Explain accounting as an information system.
18. What is the overall objective of accounting?
14. Describe the accountancy profession.
15, What is R.A. No. 9298?
16. What do you understand by the Board of Accountancy?
17. Explain the limitation of the practice of public
accountancy.
19
Scanned with CamScanneraccreditation to practice of accountancy,
18, Explain the
ag in the practice of the
19. What are the three main are:
accountancy profession?
20, Explain public accounting.
21. What are the three kinds of services offered by CPAs in
the practice of public accounting.
22, Explain auditing.
23. Describe the taxation service offered by CPAs.
24, Explain management advisory services.
25. What are some management advisory services offered by
CPAs?
26, Explain private acocunting.
27, Explain government accounting.
28, What do you understand by the Continuing Professional
Development of CPAs?
29. What is the meaning of CPD credit units?
30. How many CPD credit units are required?
81, What is the purpose of the required CPD credit units?
32. What is the exemption from the CPD requirements?
33. Distinguish accounting and auditing.
34. Distinguish accounting and bookkeeping.
35: Distinguish accounting and accountancy.
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Scanned with CamScanner6. What is financial accounting?
37. What is managerial accounting?
38. What is the meaning of generally accepted accounti
Ang
principles or GAAP? :
39. What constitute GAAP in the Philippines?
40. Explain the purpose of accounting standards.
41. What do you understand about the Financial Reporting
Standards Council?
42. What is the composition of FRSC?
43. What do you understand about PIC and IFRIC?
44. What do you understand about the International
Accounting Standards Committee?
45. What are the twin objectives of the IASC?
46. What is IASB?
47. What do you understand by IFRIC?
48, Explain why the Philippines has moved totally from
American accounting standards to international
ascounting standards.
49. What do you understand by the "International Financial
Reporting Standards"?
50. What are collectively included in "Phil Financial
Reporting Standards"?
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