Rappler Talk: Bar exams 2019 Top 1 Mae Diane Azores

MANILA, Philippines – Mae Diane Azores from the University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi in Albay is the 1st placer in the 2019 Bar examinations, besting 2,103 passers with a grade of 91.049%.

Azores has worked for the local social welfare office, and now as state auditor with the Commission on Audit (COA) – a rich experience that, she said, opened her mind to the hardships of ordinary people.

It’s where her practical view of the law comes from. As a newly-minted lawyer, she keeps it simple: she just wants a country where people are not burdened by unnecessary suits, and where courts are not clogged.

It’s the way to restore the people’s trust in the justice system, she said.

“My contribution is to advocate mediation, to only relay the cases that are for judicial resolution, medyo clogged na rin ang dockets ng korte,” said Azores. (The court dockets are already clogged.)

“Makikita mo rin ‘yung frustration ng mga tao na hindi sila maka-move forward sa buhay dahil may pending silang kaso na wala namang basehan,” she said.

(You can see the frustration of people who can’t move forward with their lives because they have pending cases that are baseless.)

Watch Azores’ interview on Rappler Talk with justice reporter Lian Buan. – Rappler.com