CEBU CITY – Thirty-year-old Karen Mae Calam juggled law school, office work, and preparations for her August wedding that all she prayed for after taking the Bar exam last November was for her to pass and become a lawyer.
“I’ve been praying that the Lord will let me pass the Bar, although I also asked Him to let me top, kahit top 10 lang,” Calam said.
When the Bar exam result was released yesterday morning, Calam could not believe her eyes. She topped the Bar with a score of 89.05 percent.
“I did not take it seriously at first but text messages and calls congratulating me started coming in,” the teary-eyed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) said.
Calam was at the SGV & Co office when the news broke. Her officemate, Anna Momongan, also passed the Bar at seventh place. The two studied law at the University of San Carlos.
“This is my gift for my parents. They have been very supportive although there was no pressure from them,” she said.
Calam is a product of a public school, both in elementary and high school in Bukidnon. During her law years, Calam admitted that she was not a top performer.
“With this achievement, I want to be an inspiration to all public school students. It is really not impossible to be on top of something as big as this. I hope I will be an inspiration not just to those who want to take up law but even to those who doubt themselves,” she said.
During her elementary years, Calam said her mother had been prodding her to become a CPA-lawyer. Both her parents wanted to become lawyers themselves.
“While she kept telling me that she wanted me to become a CPA-lawyer, there was really no pressure. She just let me do whatever I wanted to do. This is the fulfillment of my parent’s dream,” she said.
Calam said she does not see herself moving out of SGV & Co because she loves her job there.
For those who want to take the Bar exams, Calam has this to say: “Pray hard, don’t lose sight of your dream. But of course, take time to study.” (MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.)