Two second-degree cousins from the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu shared the top spot of the May 2017 Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination, whose results were released Monday.

Vianca Pearl Amores and Marianito Jesus Del Rio, both residents of Lapu-Lapu City, led the 3,389 CPA board passers with a rating of 92.67 percent.

"We did not expect this, but we were hopeful," Amores shared in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Amores and Del Rio credited their feat to hard work and mutual support for each other.

"We help each other and influence each other the positive way," said Amores.

The cousins were classmates while taking accountancy in USC. Last April, Amores graduated summa cum laude while Del Rio graduated magna cum laude.

Aside from Amores and Del Rio, another 7 of this year's top 10 CPA board passers hailed from Cebu City.

Four were from USC while the other 3 were graduates of the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR).

Last May, Karen Mae Calam, another USC alumna, topped the 2016 Bar examinations.

From the regions: Meet the bar topnotchers