2014 Bar 6th placer: ‘Time for San Beda to be recognized’

MANILA, Philippines – “It’s time for San Beda to show what it can do.”

The 6th placer in the 2014 Bar examinations said it was time for the San Beda College of Law to be recognized, after 3 out of the top 10 passers came from the college, including this year’s topnotcher.

Jose Angelo David ranked 6th among those who took the exams. Only 1,126 of the 5,984 exam-takers passed.

The results were released on Thursday, March 26. His schoolmate, Irene Mae Alcobilla, topped the exams with a grade of 85.5%. 

David, a first-time bar examinee who took his undergraduate studies at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, said that at first, he could not believe the news.

The next thing he felt was immense gratitude.

“I felt thankful to everyone who helped me get through law school and the bar exam review. It was a difficult journey to get here,” he said.

David added that it was an especially important achievement for him because his father had passed away while he was still in law school.

Now that he had finally achieved his childhood dream – to become a lawyer like his grandfather – he plans to pursue his passion in helping others and a career focusing on investigations. 

“I really want to do work for the people. Without the help of those who supported me, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

Joy and tears

Among the many who shouted for joy upon the release of the 2014 bar exam results, none seemed to be as ecstatic as the father of Albert Michaelson Roño.

The 24-year-old Ateneo Law School graduate was not at the Supreme Court to await the bar exam results. But his parents had made the trip, and nervously waited for the results, before they found his name listed on the bulletin boards outside.

Roño’s father looked like a successful examinee himself, shouting out to his wife that their son could soon call himself a licensed lawyer.

Roño’s mother told Rappler that her youngest child, who took his undergraduate political science studies at the University of Santo Tomas, had not yet even heard the news. But she said that they were excited to tell their son that his long hours  of study had finally paid off.

Even before Justice Diosdado Peralta, 2014 bar examinations chairman, announced the results, the tension and excitement was palpable in the air. Friends hugged each other and jumped for joy when they saw each others’ names. Some made tearful phone calls to their relatives to tell them the good news.

Those who did not pass quietly walked away from the bulletin boards, as others jostled and pushed to get near the sheets of paper that would tell them if they had passed or failed one of the country’s hardest licensure exams. 

The passers will take their oath on April 24.

Results of the 2014 exams are posted outside the gates of the SC compound, and on two large screens within the SC quadrangle. See the full list here. – Rappler.com