THE eldest of eight children of a tenant-farmer in a remote barangay in Nueva Ecija, Donnies T. Alas made a difficult choice at a young age when he decided to come to Manila to fulfill a dream for a better life. Armed with just “a prayer for strength, courage, direction and protection,” Alas got his prayers answered. He realized his dream by the grace of God, and, after 25 years, his perseverance paid a handsome dividend: He was able to establish his own company—the Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs.
But that is putting the cart ahead of the horse. The young Alas struggled to finish his college education. After graduating with the highest honors in an elementary school in his hometown, he landed at the then-gangland of Pritil, Tondo, to pursue high school. Then he transferred to the red-light district of Malate, Manila, to be near the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), where he earned a full scholarship for a five-year course.
“During those times, I need only to have free meals, and I practically begged for used clothes, slippers or shoes that I need for school. I had no complaints, given the fact that I came from a hand-to-mouth family,” Alas recalled.
He finished his Bachelor of Business Economics major in Accountancy, and he is most thankful that PLM has “molded us, students, well along the path of ethical standards known today for transparency, good governance, integrity in all aspects of business engagements and regulatory compliances.”
Later, Alas took his Master’s in Business Administration at the Ateneo de Manila University.
Alas valued the opportunities he got to work, and hone his expertise with two leading accounting firms for seven years. “When I joined the firm, I was already aiming to become a business partner. I want to put into my hands the shaping of my own fate. So I took the wheel of professional practice for the next 10 years, which eventually gave me good lessons on perseverance, constancy, dedication that led me to my goals,” he said.
Alas recounted his experiences as CPA greenhorn: “Practically, all my accounts were not desirable accounts. They belong to the small and medium, struggling companies that are short in finances or have poor financial records and poorer regulatory compliances. They all expected me to work hours upon hours to straighten their records and finances for them to overcome the hurdles of government reporting compliances.”
“Nevertheless, I was passionate and happy to serve them, even to the point of sacrificing my family’s financial welfare back then.”
Alas is happy to note that most of these companies are well known today, and are still with him for specialized services. By staying loyal to his business partners, he also got opportunities to travel abroad with them to attend international training and seminars and be exposed to global practices, and learn in the process how to handle foreign and multinational companies.
“I really value all these opportunities, which in the beginning seemed to be just sources of problems and complexities. All I did was to look for the positive side and the significance of each situation, thinking there would always be something to learn. Now I can say again and again, all have become good opportunities and nothing is without value. Truly, it is within us to turn any situation into gold,” Alas said.
Thus, Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs was established in 1990, “after over 25 years of learning the ups and downs of the business, and inspite of the miscalculations and missteps in decision-making.” Over the years, the firm has become one of the leading assurance and consultancy companies for the midtier market.
“As we have been in the professional service for more than two decades, our accumulated experiences have given us expertise and helped us develop approaches tailor-fit to what our clients need,” Alas beamed with pride.
In 2011 Alas unveiled yet another business venture—Alas Oplas Alliance Firm—a multifaceted group of companies committed to delivering and exceeding service expectations in the fields of audit and assurance, tax advisory, accounting, internal audit and risk management, and consulting, leading a team of experts and professionals in the business services industry.
Today Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs is an independent member of BKR International. Ranked in the top 5 of accounting associations, BKR International’s global accountants and advisors help businesses and entrepreneurs around the world. BKR International represents the combined strength of more than 160 independent accounting and business advisory firms in over 500 offices and 80 countries. BKR member-firms are committed to delivering superior client service throughout the world.
For all his accomplishments and the 25th anniversary of his company, Alas said his “life story will not be complete if I will not mention my dedication and love to Rotary service.” Having been a faithful member for 35 years of the Rotary Club of Makati North, R.I. District 3830, Alas served as club president in 2003 and 2004. He also served at the district level as assistant governor twice and as district treasurer twice; and is still active attending weekly Rotary meetings.
Alas is also grateful for being elected as 2014 president of the Association of CPA in Public Practice (ACPAPP), a group with almost 1,000 individual and institutional members all over the Philippines. “I am also proud to have served as president of the ACPAPP Foundation Inc. for 2015 and raised the required funds for the ongoing project of construction of training facilities for the CPAs and its scholarship program.
A dedicated leader with an unwavering thirst for excellence and education, Alas still participates in numerous conventions, conferences, seminars, trainings and special studies both in the Philippines and abroad. He is also a sought-after guest speaker and lecturer.
Aside from his remarkable credentials in the field and his participation in several professional and sociocivic organizations, he is widely known for his generosity and deep religiosity—attesting to how a versatile and well-balanced man he has always been. Despite his busy schedule, he finds time to relax through his other passion—golf.