MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Mark John Simondo of the University of St La Salle Bacolod topped the 2017 Bar Examinations with a grade of 91.05%.

The rest of the Bar topnotchers announced by the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, April 26, are the following:

1) Simondo, Mark John H. of University of St La Salle Bacolod:  91.05%
2) Balili, Christianne Mae C. of University of San Carlos: 90.8%
3) Remoroza, Camille B. of Ateneo de Davao University: 90.7%
4) Hisoler, Ivanne D’Laureil I. of University of San Carlos: 89.55%
5) Yap, Monica Anne T. of San Beda College Manila: 89.45%
6) Gayya, Lorenzo Luigi T. of University of Sto Tomas: 89.1%
7) Servacio, Rheland S. of Univerity of San Carlos: 89%
8) Alcantara-Bagni, Krizza Fe P. of St Mary’s University: 88.9%
Mariacos, Algie Kwillon B. of San Beda College Manila: 88.9%
9) Torralba, Klinton M. of University of Sto Tomas: 88.65%
10) Aguilar, Emma Ruby J. of University of Sto Tomas: 88.4%
11) Juanico, Lyan David M. of San Beda College Manila: 88.35%
12) Cariño, Lougenia P. of San Beda College Manila: 87.85%
13) Guzman, Arman Joseph M. of University of Sto Tomas: 87.75%
14) Santos, Jewelle Ann Lou P. of Ateneo de Manila University: 87.65%
15) Claros, Stephanie A. of University of San Jose-Recoletos: 87.55%
Gonzalo, Rhea Doll B. of Xavier University: 87.55%
Mandiguarin, Nadia Christine L. of St Louis University: 87.55%
16) Carpio, Eileen Carla Y. of San Beda College Manila: 87.40%
17) Mendoza, Ella Mae C. of University of Cebu: 87.35%
18) Calero, Aecaya Christine V. of University of Sto Tomas: 87.15%
19) Vinluan, Pretz Vernice A. of University of the Philippines: 87.10%
20) Resurreccion, Roniel D. of Jose Rizal University: 86.95%

San Beda College Manila and the University of Sto Tomas (UST) have the most number of topnotchers with 5 each.

The 2017 Bar Examinations recorded a passing rate of 25.55%. A total of 1,724 passed out of the 6,748 law graduates who completed the Bar exams at UST held during the 4 Sundays of November 2017. (FULL LIST: Bar Exam 2017 passers)

The chair of the 2017 Bar Examinations was Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin who came after Bar chairman and Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. Under Velasco, the 2016 Bar Examinations reported a record-high 59.06% passing rate, attributed by law schools to the “reasonable” Bar chairman then. – Rappler.com