CEBU, Philippines - She walked past the corridors of Sacred Heart School for Girls in Cebu City as class valedictorian, graduated Cum Laude of Legal Management in Ateneo de Manila University and got second honors at the Ateneo Law School.
But for 25-year-old Shiela Abigail Go, these achievements are incomparable when she hurdled the tedious process of passing the bars examination. She did not pass it, she topped it too.
Having placed tenth (with a rating of 83.10) in the recent bar examinations, Shiela could not only attribute her latest achievement in reading volumes of books, taking occasional breaks by walking while reading a material, but also doing pilgrimage in different churches like Our Lady of Manaoag Church, Antipolo Church, and a church in Argao, Cebu.
Having completed the “nine mornings” in the Misa de Gallo last December, Sheila could say “it’s an answered prayer.”
“It’s overwhelming, I only prayed to God nga maka pass ko sa exam,” she beams.
But her success is no walk in the park. The rigorous trainings in Law school and education in Ateneo de Manila played a vital role in her educative process.
“With it, how can someone not pass?” she said.
Shiela shared that she had her Achilles’ foot, too. She found the Tax and Commercial law exams exhilarating and exhausting.
“Na-mental bloc, dili ko kahinumdom unsa akong gitubag,” she said adding that she did not finish answering the Legal Ethics exam.
She however said that Civil law was “easier” but can’t safely say if she really got a high grade in that area. But she advised those who plan to become lawyers to take law school seriously, more than the review itself.
Sheila, who is in Manila right now, working as legal assistant at the Sycip, Salazar, Hernandez and Gatmaitan law firm in Makati City, said that she was more apprehensive of her parents’, Sulpicio Lines Executive Vice President Arturo Go and Susan Go, reaction of the results.
Had she failed to pass the Bar exams, Shiela said she would have been handling their family business.
But she is now more relieved since the fear of failure enveloped her time while on the process of preparing and waiting for the results of the exam.
Sheila can well recall the day when she first learned of her being a topnotcher.
She was visiting her sister’s place and was praying the Holy Rosary. Her sister turned on the television waiting for the announcement of the Supreme Court and at around 9:20 p.m. the Supreme Court official announced over the radio the top 10 examinees.
Her sister screamed upon hearing the name “Shiela” and it was later confirmed that the “Shiela” being referred to is Shiela Abigail Go.
The Cebuana Bar topnotcher will soon have her oathtaking along with the other 1,451 who passed the Bar exams at the Philippine International Convention Center.
She recalled that when she entered Law school, she used to have no primary motivations.
It is only now that she realized the importance of law when people ask her about legalities and that she can help these people to be aware of the fundamental laws of the land.
As a budding lawyer, Shiela thinks that Philippine politics is very dirty. She likes to teach people that anyone can be successful even without joining politics.
“It would take a while to make a difference, but I believe that Filipinos can be catalysts for change,” she said. /WAB FREEMAN NEWS)