UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) graduate Ephraim Porciuncula Bie led the 3,812 new lawyers who passed this year’s Bar Examinations, the Supreme Court (SC) announced yesterday.
Associate Justice and 2023 Bar Exams Committee chairperson Ramon Paul Hernando 36.77 percent of the 10,387 examinees passed the tests, which is lower than last year’s 43.47 percent passing rate.
Bie topped the Bar exams with a score of 89.2625 percent.
In second place is Mark Josel Padua Vivit of Ateneo de Manila University with a rating of 89.1250 percent, followed by Frances Camille Altonaga Francisco of San Beda University with 88.9125 percent, Nathaniel Nino Alipio Tang of Aquinas-UST Legazpi with a rating of 88.6500 percent, and David Joseph Austria Flores of De La Salle University-Manila with a rating of 88.5500 percent.
The other top placers were Ralph Vincent Salvador Samaniego of the University of the Philippines who garnered a rating of 88.4750 percent, Bryan Gerard Tapnio Antonio of Ateneo de Manila University with 88.3125, Paulo Batulan of the University of San Jose Recoletos-Cebu and Pio Vincent Roura Buencamino of the University of Sto. Tomas with ratings of 88.2500, Grace Abigail Morales Bautista of Angeles University Foundation School of Law in Angeles, Pampanga with 88.0625, and Jayson Ong Chan of Saint Paul School of Professional Studies and Zes Trina Banares Non of Aquinas-UST Legazpi with ratings of 88.0125 percent.
Among those who passed the exam was 62-year-old Rosuta Calacala, an employee of the local government unit of Jones town in Isabela.
Calacala passed the Bar exams on her first try, having entered law school at Northeastern College at the age of 58.
She said her law school study was financed by her children, two of whom were accountants.
“Magpapatuloy po ako sa paglilingkod sa aking mga kababayan sa Jones (I will continue to help my kababayans in Jones),” a teary-eyed Calacala told reporters at the SC compound in Padre Faura where the list of successful examinees was posted.
TOP LAW SCHOOLS
Hernando said the top five law schools with more than 100 Bar candidates were Ateneo de Manila University, with a 94.08 passing rate; San Beda University, with 92.20 percent; University of San Carlos in Cebu, with 90.1 percent; University of the Philippines, with 89.45 percent; and University of Sto. Tomas, with 85.25 percent
Meanwhile, the top five law schools with 51 to 100 candidates were University of Cebu, with a passing rate of 76.67 percent; Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, with 71.79 percent; Far Eastern University, with 58.90 percent; University of San Jose Recoletos; with 48.48 percent; and the Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City, with 45.24 percent.
The University of Makati topped the law schools with 11 to 50 Bar candidates with a 93.94 passing rate; followed by Saint Louis University in Baguio City, with 92.86 percent; Ateneo de Davao University, with 90.70 percent; Bulacan State University and University of Mindanao both with 89.47 percent; and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, with 86.67 percent.
INTEGRITY
President Marcos Jr. congratulated all Bar passers and urged them to stand firm in upholding their integrity and to remain true to their reasons for practicing law.
The President, in his official X account, said: “As you begin your unique paths, stand firm in upholding integrity and remain true to the reasons that called you to practice law. Remain united in ensuring that every Filipino has the benefit of a fair and equitable justice system. Congratulations to the passers of #Bar2023!”
Hernando told the Bar passers to persevere in their profession.
“There are things we cannot change, but I would like you to believe that the efforts that you have expended to pass the Bar are absolute. Dreams shall come true in their own time. Perhaps and for most of you, that time is now,” Hernando said.
“Whatever happens, whether you see your name in the screen today or someday, may you always have the grace and grit to accept what is about to transpire, and the strength to hope and persevere for the best that is about to come,” he added.
BAR EXAMS
The release of the 2023 Bar exams results was one of the fastest instances where the High Court announced the passers, taking place less than three months after it was held.
The first day of the Bar was held on September 17, with Hernando announcing then that they will release the results by early December.
Previously, the results of the Bar exams were released during the summer session of the High Court in Baguio City.
A total of 10, 816 candidates were accepted by the SC to take the exams but only 10,387 managed to complete the three-day examinations held on September 17, 20, and 24.
The tests were conducted in 14 testing centers nationwide, six of which were in Metro Manila.
This year’s Bar exams also marked the third time in a row that the tests were digitalized instead of handwritten.
The oath taking and roll signing of the successful examinees will be on December 22 at the SMX Convention Center. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
