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January 7, 2026 between 1pm and 2pm. My wife suddenly got hysterical because she saw my name in the Youtube feed as one of the Bar passers in the recent 2025 Bar exam.
My motivation was clear as early as my 1st year of my 4 years law school study.My journey in taking the Bar was not easy. I try to document my emotions and progress through this blog. And now, this is it, finally, I passed my Bar. Now, I try to look back from the start. This is a long post.
I first got the itch of dreaming to become a lawyer in 1994. I was 18 years old and recently won as an elected Barangay Councilman (Kagawad) in our Barangay. I was the youngest elected Kagawad in our city that time and I learned early how to interact with older politicians. I remember I just finished my 2nd year of Physical Therapy course when I won and since I was in politics – the dream of becoming a lawyer crossed my mind.
Hey, 18 year old me! We did it. After 32 years. Lawyer at 50!
Lockdowns during the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2019 made people self-reflect amidst the uncertainties of possibly getting the virus. For me, it was the time of reflecting future possibilities, answering what ifs, and trying to recalibrate my life. The dream of becoming a lawyer came back.
Since there were several sets of Covid 19 lockdowns, most school shifted from physical or face to face classes to online classes. I found this as a sign. I can work and I can study in the safety of my home. I asked around and learned that the University of Perpetual System College of Law is the nearest law school in my City. Another sign – the school provides 50% tuition fee discounts to students working in the Government. Without much thinking – I enrolled.
My plan was simple. I’ll just try one sem. I started on the second semester of school year 2020-2021. But before anything else, I enrolled first the required undergrad subjects I lacked for the Juris Doctor course. I enrolled these subjects but then some of the students invited me to join their petition subjects that sem (I later learned that the rate of their tuition was based on the number of enrollees). So, I enrolled 3 law subjects aside from my undergrad pre-requisite subjects. After that sem, I realized that not all students passed the law subjects and there was even a class (Criminal Law 1) that only 5 of us passed (I got a 75!). Another sign that I’ll continue the following sem.
I enrolled the following semester (1st sem of school year 2021-2022). Full load. This was I consider my first real law school start. I was one of the middle-aged (mid-40s) students while most of my classmates were in their late 20s or early 30s. What is nice is most of us are working. I think that alone leveled our playing field. It was a fun sem, a lot of drama, we were all adjusting to the terrors of law school and we do not know how to react (to the one reading this – quick tip – leave your ego at home when you attend your class). The drama, tensions, and stress, among others only made the students in our batch closer. We learned to laugh and even bragged about our humiliating moments (usually during recitations) during our free time. There was a very helpful upperclassman then (Menard), he patiently answers queries from us 1st year students, from how to digests, what notebooks or pens we should use, and even tips on how to survive terror professors. I thought he was a fratman trying to recruit members. He became (much later) my kumpare and co-founder of our fraternity.
I passed all my subjects in my real full load in the 1st semester of law school – a sign to continue this journey.
This was the time I met my core group in law school – we called our group Row 4 (It was later changed to Elites during our 4th year law level). I met Rio, Gino, Mimi, Charita, Jen, and Jess. We had dinner in Army Navy after a tiring last subject Final exam. We laughed at all our bloopers and shameful moments during that semester. Little that I know that time that these people are really intelligent and I was blessed to be part of this group. Another sign – but I did not know it that time.
It was so far so good during my 1st and 2nd year of studies. Our group (Row 4) developed and perfected a system of helping each other out. We have a google drive where we collaborate from division of case digests, sharing of study materials, to answering past exams and other exams available on the internet. We also have a chat group to tell jokes, gossip, make pun of each other, and in a way help with our deteriorating mental health.
In the 2nd semester of my 2nd year in law, I was asked by the upper classmen to run for President of the College of Law Student Council. I thought maybe they thought I was fit to lead because I was a worker (specifically – driver of bartakers) during the past 2 years Bar Operation (Bar support activities to the current Bar Takers that time), or I was older to most of them, or because of my position at work. I declined but later was convinced. I asked my Row 4 group if they can also run for officers and they did and we won. As Student Council President I started to care not only for myself but also for the concerns of other students. I started to imbibe our College of Law spirit! It was a big responsibility since we are all just trying to survive and pass our subjects. I am fortunate that I have Menard, Gertrude, Sonny, Konsi. Leslie, and others who always have my back during Student Council Activities. Of course, with the guidance of our strict but motherly Professor Judge Liza.
During my term as the Student Council President, we implemented 2 General Assemblies, Alumni Homecoming, and with the leadership of our BarOps Chair Zen – we managed to fund and billet all of the schools bartakers for the first time that year in a hotel during their exam week. The officers, alumni, and the students helped raised the fund for the said activities under the guidance of Dean Bejasa and Judge Liza.
My second semester of my third year was the semester I realized the harshness of law school. I understand that due to heavy workload during that time, I do not have enough time to study. I failed a subject in law school for the first time. I was on vacation in the US when I learned that I failed and I was devastated. I thought I can finish law school without any failed subjects (We only have 3 students in our batch that did not fail any subject – Cha, Mimi, and Jr – I should have been the fourth). But anyway, this setback could no longer stop me from continuing, I am already invested and this only proved that I am a normal law student who also failed but learned to stand up and continue the journey. Luckily, there was a petition subject the following sem which I joined where I passed the said subject. I was again a regular student when I entered 4th year.
4th year was the time we founded our band. Yes, we formed a band! Ynnah and Marjohn were our vocalists, Jr was our lead guitarist, Rey was our drummer, Sonny was our Rhythm guitarist, and I was on bass guitar. We practiced and we performed during the General Assembly of all the College of Law Students. Songs? Well, we played Halaga, Bulong, Beer, Akap, Burnout, and Sweet Child of mine! We were all enjoying playing in the band, it is like even we were all riding the storm of law school and we are in the eye of that storm – enjoying that moment. We played during our 2nd Student Council General Assemby.
4th year was also the time we founded our fraternity. I asked Dean if we can establish one. He did not say yes but said right to self-organization is enshrined in our Constitution. There are 5 founders, Menard, Jr, Rey, Gilbert, and I. However, it was our last sem and we were all fighting our way to graduate so we were still in the organizational stage at this time. Now that the Bar results are out, we can go back to institutionalizing our Fraternity.
Through my stay, I also enjoyed the company of my classmates which also became close to me like my younger brothers and sisters – these are Walter, Ish, Yen, Ynna, Terrago, Ezron, Aleeza, Karla, Anne, Elena, Amarante, Mark, Vielle, Father, Beth, Ara, Kyle, and others.
Special thanks to my professors for preparing me to pass the Bar: Judge Delfin, Judge Collado, Atty. Ferrer, Piskal Glenna, Atty. Labordo, Atty. Albano, Arbiter Guan, Atty. Nars, Doctor Uy, Atty. Bawar, Atty. Gutierrez, Prosec Castro, Prosec Bebe, Prosec Tongol, Prosec Sison, Judge Hernandez, Atty. Faustino, and Atty. Arriba. Thank you Prosec Guarino for the Bar tips and guidance. Thank you for the assistance from our college secretaries: Mam Remy and Mam Jho and to my favorite guard Kuya Navarro.
Super special thanks to Dean Bejasa and Judge Liza Manaog for their guidance and advise.
Again, to the Elites (Row 4) – Gino, Rio, Cha, Mimi, and Jen – thank you for our teamwork. I am forever grateful.
1. Pass the Bar – checked.
2. Take the Oath and Sign the Roll – scheduled on February 6, 2025.
3. Full pledged Lawyer. Serve the People.
Thank you Lord! What an amazing journey!
My Motivation:
Thoughts after attending the Testimonial Dinner of the 2024 Bar Passers:
While Waiting for the Result of the Bar:
My motivation was clear as early as my 1st year of my 4 years law school study.My journey in taking the Bar was not easy. I try to document my emotions and progress through this blog. And now, this is it, finally, I passed my Bar. Now, I try to look back from the start. This is a long post.
I first got the itch of dreaming to become a lawyer in 1994. I was 18 years old and recently won as an elected Barangay Councilman (Kagawad) in our Barangay. I was the youngest elected Kagawad in our city that time and I learned early how to interact with older politicians. I remember I just finished my 2nd year of Physical Therapy course when I won and since I was in politics – the dream of becoming a lawyer crossed my mind.
Hey, 18 year old me! We did it. After 32 years. Lawyer at 50!
Lockdowns during the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2019 made people self-reflect amidst the uncertainties of possibly getting the virus. For me, it was the time of reflecting future possibilities, answering what ifs, and trying to recalibrate my life. The dream of becoming a lawyer came back.
Since there were several sets of Covid 19 lockdowns, most school shifted from physical or face to face classes to online classes. I found this as a sign. I can work and I can study in the safety of my home. I asked around and learned that the University of Perpetual System College of Law is the nearest law school in my City. Another sign – the school provides 50% tuition fee discounts to students working in the Government. Without much thinking – I enrolled.
My plan was simple. I’ll just try one sem. I started on the second semester of school year 2020-2021. But before anything else, I enrolled first the required undergrad subjects I lacked for the Juris Doctor course. I enrolled these subjects but then some of the students invited me to join their petition subjects that sem (I later learned that the rate of their tuition was based on the number of enrollees). So, I enrolled 3 law subjects aside from my undergrad pre-requisite subjects. After that sem, I realized that not all students passed the law subjects and there was even a class (Criminal Law 1) that only 5 of us passed (I got a 75!). Another sign that I’ll continue the following sem.
I enrolled the following semester (1st sem of school year 2021-2022). Full load. This was I consider my first real law school start. I was one of the middle-aged (mid-40s) students while most of my classmates were in their late 20s or early 30s. What is nice is most of us are working. I think that alone leveled our playing field. It was a fun sem, a lot of drama, we were all adjusting to the terrors of law school and we do not know how to react (to the one reading this – quick tip – leave your ego at home when you attend your class). The drama, tensions, and stress, among others only made the students in our batch closer. We learned to laugh and even bragged about our humiliating moments (usually during recitations) during our free time. There was a very helpful upperclassman then (Menard), he patiently answers queries from us 1st year students, from how to digests, what notebooks or pens we should use, and even tips on how to survive terror professors. I thought he was a fratman trying to recruit members. He became (much later) my kumpare and co-founder of our fraternity.
I passed all my subjects in my real full load in the 1st semester of law school – a sign to continue this journey.
This was the time I met my core group in law school – we called our group Row 4 (It was later changed to Elites during our 4th year law level). I met Rio, Gino, Mimi, Charita, Jen, and Jess. We had dinner in Army Navy after a tiring last subject Final exam. We laughed at all our bloopers and shameful moments during that semester. Little that I know that time that these people are really intelligent and I was blessed to be part of this group. Another sign – but I did not know it that time.
It was so far so good during my 1st and 2nd year of studies. Our group (Row 4) developed and perfected a system of helping each other out. We have a google drive where we collaborate from division of case digests, sharing of study materials, to answering past exams and other exams available on the internet. We also have a chat group to tell jokes, gossip, make pun of each other, and in a way help with our deteriorating mental health.
In the 2nd semester of my 2nd year in law, I was asked by the upper classmen to run for President of the College of Law Student Council. I thought maybe they thought I was fit to lead because I was a worker (specifically – driver of bartakers) during the past 2 years Bar Operation (Bar support activities to the current Bar Takers that time), or I was older to most of them, or because of my position at work. I declined but later was convinced. I asked my Row 4 group if they can also run for officers and they did and we won. As Student Council President I started to care not only for myself but also for the concerns of other students. I started to imbibe our College of Law spirit! It was a big responsibility since we are all just trying to survive and pass our subjects. I am fortunate that I have Menard, Gertrude, Sonny, Konsi. Leslie, and others who always have my back during Student Council Activities. Of course, with the guidance of our strict but motherly Professor Judge Liza.
During my term as the Student Council President, we implemented 2 General Assemblies, Alumni Homecoming, and with the leadership of our BarOps Chair Zen – we managed to fund and billet all of the schools bartakers for the first time that year in a hotel during their exam week. The officers, alumni, and the students helped raised the fund for the said activities under the guidance of Dean Bejasa and Judge Liza.
My second semester of my third year was the semester I realized the harshness of law school. I understand that due to heavy workload during that time, I do not have enough time to study. I failed a subject in law school for the first time. I was on vacation in the US when I learned that I failed and I was devastated. I thought I can finish law school without any failed subjects (We only have 3 students in our batch that did not fail any subject – Cha, Mimi, and Jr – I should have been the fourth). But anyway, this setback could no longer stop me from continuing, I am already invested and this only proved that I am a normal law student who also failed but learned to stand up and continue the journey. Luckily, there was a petition subject the following sem which I joined where I passed the said subject. I was again a regular student when I entered 4th year.
4th year was the time we founded our band. Yes, we formed a band! Ynnah and Marjohn were our vocalists, Jr was our lead guitarist, Rey was our drummer, Sonny was our Rhythm guitarist, and I was on bass guitar. We practiced and we performed during the General Assembly of all the College of Law Students. Songs? Well, we played Halaga, Bulong, Beer, Akap, Burnout, and Sweet Child of mine! We were all enjoying playing in the band, it is like even we were all riding the storm of law school and we are in the eye of that storm – enjoying that moment. We played during our 2nd Student Council General Assemby.
4th year was also the time we founded our fraternity. I asked Dean if we can establish one. He did not say yes but said right to self-organization is enshrined in our Constitution. There are 5 founders, Menard, Jr, Rey, Gilbert, and I. However, it was our last sem and we were all fighting our way to graduate so we were still in the organizational stage at this time. Now that the Bar results are out, we can go back to institutionalizing our Fraternity.
Through my stay, I also enjoyed the company of my classmates which also became close to me like my younger brothers and sisters – these are Walter, Ish, Yen, Ynna, Terrago, Ezron, Aleeza, Karla, Anne, Elena, Amarante, Mark, Vielle, Father, Beth, Ara, Kyle, and others.
Special thanks to my professors for preparing me to pass the Bar: Judge Delfin, Judge Collado, Atty. Ferrer, Piskal Glenna, Atty. Labordo, Atty. Albano, Arbiter Guan, Atty. Nars, Doctor Uy, Atty. Bawar, Atty. Gutierrez, Prosec Castro, Prosec Bebe, Prosec Tongol, Prosec Sison, Judge Hernandez, Atty. Faustino, and Atty. Arriba. Thank you Prosec Guarino for the Bar tips and guidance. Thank you for the assistance from our college secretaries: Mam Remy and Mam Jho and to my favorite guard Kuya Navarro.
Super special thanks to Dean Bejasa and Judge Liza Manaog for their guidance and advise.
Again, to the Elites (Row 4) – Gino, Rio, Cha, Mimi, and Jen – thank you for our teamwork. I am forever grateful.
1. Pass the Bar – checked.
2. Take the Oath and Sign the Roll – scheduled on February 6, 2025.
3. Full pledged Lawyer. Serve the People.
Thank you Lord! What an amazing journey!
My Motivation:
Thoughts after attending the Testimonial Dinner of the 2024 Bar Passers:
While Waiting for the Result of the Bar:
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