CPD Requirements for Filipino CPAs: A Complete 2024 Guide

Exemptions

The following may qualify for exemption or reduced requirements:

• CPAs who are 65 years old or older
• CPAs with serious illness or physical disability (with medical documentation)
• CPAs working or living abroad for more than 90 consecutive days during the renewal period (may qualify for partial exemption)

Apply for exemptions before your renewal date — retroactive exemptions are generally not granted.

Types of Activities That Generate CPD Units

Formal Learning Activities - PRC/BOA-accredited seminars and conferences: 1 unit per hour - Online courses on accredited platforms: 1 unit per hour - Graduate academic courses relevant to the profession: 3 units per credit hour

Non-Formal Learning Activities - Self-directed learning (reading of accredited materials, structured study): up to 20% of required units - Online learning modules from accredited providers

Informal Learning Activities - On-the-job training programs - Participation in technical committees

Special Activities - **Resource speakers/lecturers** at CPD-accredited events: 2× the contact hours credited - **Publication** of papers in BOA/PRC-accredited journals: up to 15 units per article - **Research activities** in accountancy: units vary

Accredited CPD Providers

Only activities offered by PRC-accredited CPD providers generate valid units. Key accredited providers include:

• Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) — national and chapter-level events
• Management Association of the Philippines (MAP)
• Institute of Internal Auditors Philippines (IIAP)
• Philippine chapter of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA PH)
• University-based CPD programs (accredited institutions only)
• Various private training companies with current PRC accreditation

Always verify accreditation before registering. Check the PRC's online list of accredited CPD providers. Completing an activity with an unaccredited provider generates zero units, regardless of the topic or quality.

Popular Topics for CPA CPD Units

The following areas are consistently in demand and well-represented in the CPD marketplace:

• Tax updates — TRAIN Law, CREATE Act, BIR issuances, amnesty programs
• Financial reporting standards — Philippine Financial Reporting Standards (PFRS/PAS) updates
• Auditing standards — Philippine Standards on Auditing (PSA) revisions
• Data analytics and accounting technology — Excel, Power BI, cloud accounting
• Anti-money laundering (AMLA) — requirements for CPAs in practice
• Corporate governance — especially relevant for CPAs in corporate roles
• Sustainability reporting — growing area with new IFRS S1/S2 standards

How to Track Your CPD Units

The PRC Online Renewal System (LERIS) is the official platform for tracking and submitting CPD units. Every accredited activity should generate a CPD certificate that you upload to LERIS.

Best practice: Upload certificates immediately after completing each activity. Do not save them for renewal time — certificates get lost, providers close, and memories fade.

Maintain your own CPD records folder (physical or digital) with:
- Certificate of attendance
- Topic and duration
- Provider name and accreditation number
- Date of activity
- Units claimed

Renewal Timeline

PRC license renewal for CPAs follows a staggered schedule based on your license number. Check your PRC registration certificate for your specific renewal date.

Recommended timeline:
- 24 months before renewal — assess your current unit count; identify gaps
- 12 months before renewal — begin targeted unit accumulation to fill gaps
- 6 months before renewal — complete LERIS submission and verify unit acceptance
- 3 months before renewal — submit renewal application; process online if available

PRC renewal fees and requirements may change — always check the current PRC website for the latest guidelines.

CPD as a Professional Investment

It is easy to view CPD as a compliance burden. But the better framing is this: you are being paid to continuously improve at your profession, with a regulatory structure that ensures you actually do it.

The CPAs who take CPD seriously — choosing topics that sharpen their expertise, attending events that expand their network, and staying current with regulatory developments — are the ones whose practices grow. Their clients trust them more because they are visibly committed to professional excellence.

The CPD units you earn are not just for the PRC. They are for your clients, your practice, and your career.