Bar topnotcher cites hard work

MANILA, Philippines - A graduate of Ateneo de Manila University Law School topped last year’s Bar examinations.

Raoul Angelo Atadero, who got a rating of 85.5363 percent, said he got goose bumps after receiving the news, and attributed his feat to “hard work.”

In the 2010 Bar exams, another Ateneo Law School graduate, Cesareo Antonio Singzon Jr., also placed number one.

Two more Ateneo graduates made it to the top 10 among 1,913 Bar passers – Luz Danielle Bolong, who placed second with 84.556 percent, and Irene Marie Qua who placed eighth with 84.057 percent.

In third place was Cherry Liez Rafal-Roble of Arellano University with 84.455 percent, followed by Rosemil Banaga of Notre Dame University with 84.122.

Christian Louie Gonzales of University of Sto. Tomas College of Law placed fifth with 84.093 percent, while Ivan Bandal of Silliman University placed sixth with 84.090.

Two graduates of San Beda College of Law landed in the top 10: Eireene Xina Acosta placed seventh with a rating of 84.057 percent while 64-year-old Rodolfo Aquino was in 10th place with 83.727 percent.

A graduate of Far Eastern University, Elaine Marie Laceda, placed ninth with a rating of 84.040 percent.

‘Goose bumps’

Atadero said he was surprised when he learned the results of the Bar exams.

In a telephone interview, he said he did not expect to place first since he was not sure of passing the tests on commercial law and mercantile law.

“I was waiting for the results online. But when I monitored it on TV, I saw Justice (Roberto) Abad announcing my name. I was beside my mom and she was the one crying. It gave me goose bumps,” he revealed.

Atadero joined Puno & Puno law offices two weeks ago as legal assistant. After passing the Bar, he said he would become a junior associate in the law firm.

He plans to specialize in corporate law, adding that he is not considering joining the government.

Asked what his secret was in topping the Bar, he replied: “Hard work,

prayer and luck. But hard work is the most important. You really need to work hard because no amount of prayer or luck will make you pass the Bar.”

But second placer Luz Danielle Bolong, also from Ateneo, believes prayer could be a key to success.

She made a devotion to churches in Baclaran in Pasay, Quiapo in Manila, Padre Pio in Quezon City and Manaoag in Pangasinan.

Her sister Marie Diane from Arellano University also passed the Bar.

They were hearing Mass in Baclaran yesterday when they learned the results of the Bar exams.

“My sister told me to turn off the phone. So when the Mass ended and I turned on my phone, I was flooded with messages saying that I passed the bar and I placed second. I’m really happy,” she revealed.

Just like Atadero, Bolong has also joined the Puno & Puno law offices.

Atadero, valedictorian of his law school class 2011, was the last among four new legal assistants who signed up with the PPLO last year and started as an underbar with the firm’s Corporate Department last Feb. 20. His superiors describe him as quiet and unassuming but very intelligent and insightful individual.

Bolong, on the other hand, has been assisting the PPLO in an important family mediation case since joining the firm in mid-February. This consistent Dean’s Lister at law school has been described as spirited, expressive and possessing a keen eye for details who would like to make a positive contribution in the development of the legal system.

Since 2010, the PPLO talent Pipeline Program has been producing topnotchers from Ateneo and UP. PPLO recruit Johanna T. Sunga placed 5th in the Bar during that year. 

Breaking tradition

Chief Justice Renato Corona broke tradition yesterday and personally addressed law graduates eagerly waiting for the results of last year’s Bar exams.

It was the first time a chief justice went down to the Supreme Court (SC) grounds and delivered a speech before the results were announced by the Bar committee chair.

He opened with an offer in jest: “For those who want to volunteer, you can be addition to my defense panel.” This elicited cheers from the crowd.

Corona told the law graduates that the SC was happy with the successful results of the Bar, admitting that the justices were initially concerned about the outcome of the new format.

“We were concerned that the examinees might have a hard time because of the new system – that many might flunk. But on the contrary, the passing average even went up,” the Chief Justice revealed.

With this positive result, Corona said the SC would “continue to refine the Bar examinations and introduce many more innovations for the Bar examinations.”

To the Bar passers who will become new lawyers after their oath-taking on March 21, the Chief Justice told them that their success does not end in passing the Bar.

“Your success as a lawyer will ultimately be dependent on your hard work and personal commitment to further study and continuously find more knowledge and look for additional skills so you can become very competent lawyers,” he advised.

Associate Justice Roberto Abad, chair of the Supreme Court’s 2011 Bar exams committee, announced the results.

Abad revealed that a total of 1,913, or 31.95 percent, of 5,987 examinees who completed taking the 2011 Bar exams held in UST passed the new format in the Bar’s 110-year history.

A total of 6,200 applied but only 5,987 were able to complete the exams.

Justice Abad stressed that the SC has introduced reforms in the Bar exams “to exert pressure on law schools to re-examine the substance and shape of legal education: First, by asking multiple choice questions in the Bar exams, the Court has stopped the practice of requiring students to memorize the law and its principles.

“Second, with the help of the academe, the Supreme Court (SC) has redefined the objective of the Bar exams and the competence and skills that they should measure.

“Third, the SC has started giving essay-type problems in the Bar exams that would measure the candidate’s depth of learning and intelligence.”

Bar passers may get their clearance starting today at the Office of the Bar Confidant in the SC before they take their oath on March 21 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The 2011 Bar exams saw for the first time the use of mltiple choice-type questions, which constituted 60 percent of the tests.

This time, examinees were required to write two types of essays: a trial memorandum filed in court and a legal opinion given to a client. A panel of four examiners graded each essay.

The passing rate for the trial memorandum is 15.47 percent while that for the legal opinion is 50.78 percent, the SC revealed.

Those who facilitated the Bar exams were: Court of Appeals (CA) Justice and professor Amy Lazaro-Javier for political law; author, professor and lawyer Cesario Alvero Azucena Jr. for labor law; author and former justice undersecretary Ernesto Pineda for civil law; author and professor Abelrado Domondon for taxation; CA Justice and professor Ramon Paul Hernando for mercantile law; Sandiganbayan Justice and

professor Ma. Cristina Cornejo for criminal law; former professor and practitioner Virgilio Manguera for remedial law; and Mandatory Continuing Legal Education lecturer and professor Edwin Carillo for legal ethics.