Thousands of aspiring lawyers along with their families and friends trooped before dawn Sunday at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for the first day of bar examinations.
Arriving by bus or private cars, bar examinees were cheered on by their relatives, friends and schoolmates carrying banners and placards with inspirational messages.
Other supporters even carry an icon of Old Jesus, creating a fiesta atmosphere around UST.
One of the thousands of bar examinees, 24-year-old Valentin Pura, hopes to conquer the country’s toughest professional licensure test.
“Excited and kabado at the same time. Excited kasi four years ko rin tinahak ‘yung kalbaryo sa law school and finally, andito na ako sa huling stage ng journey which is the bar,” Pura said.
“Mas kabado than excited kasi alam naman natin na mahirap talaga ‘yung bar. Part of me nagwo-worry baka hindi enough ‘yung naaral ko and naiisip ko din ‘yung atmosphere kapag nandun na sa mismong exam room,” he added.
Pura said he is hoping to end the “four grueling Sundays” peacefully.
“Sana maging reasonable pa rin ‘yung exams. This year kasi, binalik ‘yung two examiners per subject format. So baka mas mahirap siya than in the previous years,” he said.
Meanwhile, Manila Police District chief Police Brigadier General Balba led the inspection at UST along with Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta to ensure security around the examination area.
Around 600 policemen and K-9 units were fielded in the vicinity of UST to ensure the security of around 8,000 graduates who took the bar exams.
“I hope a lot of law students would pass the bar exams this year. We need lawyers,” Peralta said before entering UST.
“If they studied well and they took the review well, they will be able to answer all the questions. Just pray and be patient,” he added.
In a Facebook post, UST Faculty of Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina advised the bar takers that experiencing pain is an integral part of attaining success.
“No ideal becomes a reality without sacrifice. No one becomes a lawyer by just wishing for or praying for it. No one wish ever comes true unless it is complemented by action,” he said.
“No pain, no gain. Give it all you got. Fight with all your might so that after the bar exam you too like St. Paul can say :’We have fought a good fight. We have finished the race. We have kept the faith’,” he added.
Last 2018, only 1,800 or 22.07 percent of 8, 155 examinees passed the bar examinations. (Erma Edera)
