2018 Bar exam passers: Tales of motivation, joy, triumph

DOUBLE TRIUMPH.  Couple Johanna Malang and Jose Epifanio San Jose travelled from Naga City to Manila to personally find out that they hurdled the 2018 Bar exam.  Photo by Daphne Galvez / INQUIRER.net 

MANILA, Philippines  – Enduring hours of travel from Bicol to Manila, couple Johanna Malang and Jose Epifanio San Jose proceeded  to the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday to “face their fears.”

Both of them took the bar exam in November last year and instead of waiting for the results online, they chose to go to Manila to see for themselves if their names would be among those flashed on the LED wall on the SC front yard.

“Pinlano na talaga namin. Brave souls kami. Face your fears,” Malang said in an interview.

Apparently, their hours-long travel and  patience under the scorching summer sun was worth it.

They both passed the bar exam.

“Nakakaiyak, grabe, umiyak ako. Tapos ang init pa,” she said.

They were classmates at the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City, and  became a couple in October last year, one month before the bar exams, which were held at the University of Santo Tomas.

Public service

After passing the bar, they plan to serve in the government.

“Nagpa-plan kami pumasok sa government talaga. Sa Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) po,” San Jose said in the interview.

Malang said she wants to specialize in litigation while San Jose said he wants to focus on data privacy since it is close to his pre-law course – electronics engineering.

Bar tip: Know yourself

Among the tips they shared to pass the bar exams was “you should know yourself.”

“Dapat kilala mo yung sarili mo kasi siya kasi siya (San Jose) for example, he learns more when listening. Ako, I learn more when I’m reading so mostly ng classes, hindi ko ina-attendan, nagbabasa ako. Siya naman palagi siyang nag-aattend,” Malang shared.

She also said that reviewing for and passing the bar is only a “matter of discipline.”

“Noong review, more on disiplina na talaga sa sarili kasi wala nang professor to actually guide you na papagalitan ka kapag hindi ka nakapasa so it’s a matter of self-discipline talaga para pumasa,” the bar passer said.

Malang and San Jose was only among those who rejoiced at the release of the bar results.

Happiest moment of his life

One of the first to shout for  joy was Leo Acebedo,  a law graduate from Adamson University.

He couldn’t immediately entertain interviews from reporters as he said he wanted to call his father first to deliver the good news.

It was the happiest moment of his life, he said.

Aside from those who took the bar exams, relatives were also present at the SC to find out whether or not their loved ones made it.

Mother must know

Josephine Dayrit Agustin, burst into tears when she saw her daughter’s name, Nadine Patricia, on the LED wall.

She said she went to the SC alone, without her daughter’s knowledge, to see for herself if her daughter passed the bar.

“Sinabi nga niya, ‘Mama wag ka na pumunta’ pero alam mo yung nanay, susuugin lahat diba?,” Josephine said.

“Hindi niya alam na nandito ako kasi umalis ako sa office and then sabi ko kailangan ako mismo ang makakita, oh my God. Iba yung feeling,” she tearfully said.

“Hindi niya alam na nandito ako kasi umalis ako sa office.”
⁰Josephine Agustin became emotional at the Supreme Court grounds this morning when she learned that her daughter, Nadine Patriziah Agustin, passed the #Bar2018 examinations. | @DYGalvezINQ pic.twitter.com/nQahelY6E4

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 3, 2019

Athlete, lawyer

Meanwhile, for the family of Philippine touchball athlete Ma. Rodelita Dublin, it was a nervous moment because they initially did not see her name in the list of passers.

“Kinakabahan na kami, naiiyak na nga ako eh,” Rodevick Domingo, father of Dubin, said in an interview.

However, when an updated list of the passers were uploaded, the family started to rejoice because there is a new lawyer in the family.

Dublin herself, a graduate from San Beda Alabang, was not present at the SC grounds.

According to her family, she is in Malaysia, representing the Philippines in the Federation of International Touch World Cup.

WATCH: #Bar2018 passer Maria Rodielita Dublin is currently competing in the Touch Football World Cup in Malaysia when the exam results were released.

Courtesy: @DYGalvezINQ / https://t.co/L8fLjvaAqj pic.twitter.com/WryELzVF3T

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 3, 2019

‘Expect the unexpected’

For aspiring lawyers, bar passer Arvin Jay Manauis had only one advice.

“Expect the unexpected po. ‘Yun lang po, prepare for the worst para hindi na sila magulat,” Manauis said in an interview.

“Expect the unexpected po, prepare for the worst, para hindi sila magulat,” said Arvin Jay Manauis, #Bar2018 passer from the University of Northern Philippines, after he was asked if he had any advice to give to future bar examinees. | @DYGalvezINQ pic.twitter.com/3gHNtfwWNn

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 3, 2019

1,800 out of 8,155 (22.07 percent) examinees hurdled the 2018 Bar exams.

The passers are set to take their oath on June 13. /gsg