All USLS-Bacolod first takers pass Bar exams

April 12, 2022 by No Comments

THE University of St. La Salle (USLS)-Bacolod College of Law has bagged another major feat, as all of its 25 first takers passed the 2020/2021 Bar Examinations.Its dean, lawyer Rosanne Juliana Gonzaga, said their 100 passing rate for first takers is higher than the national passing percentage of 72.28 percent.All in all, 36 of the 42 examinees, or 82.22 percent, from USLS-Bacolod are now lawyers after passing the Bar exams given on February 4 and 6, 2022.Gonzaga said this shows that the USLS-Bacolod College of Law program is excellent, and it aims to produce legal professionals who have a passion for justice equaled with the commitment to serve the community and most especially the underprivileged.The 100 percent rating for the first takers, she said, also reflects the college’s excellent and well-rounded law education, as well as the faculty’s best performance and expertise in the legal field.”All of you have accomplished another feat which keeps the USLS College of Law on top and I am grateful for the inspiration you give to all of us,” she told the Bar passers.Gonzada said: “As you move on to bigger challenges and attain noteworthy achievements, remain ever so humble knowing that this success is a gift from God.”As she extended her congratulations to the USLS-Bacolod passers, Gonzaga said: “You are blessed with a remarkable opportunity to become truly involved and effective members of the community as good Lasallian lawyers.”One of the first takers from USLS-Bacolod College of Law who passed the Bar exams is Jose Marty Go, a former broadcast journalist in Bacolod City.Go said it was a journey of uncertainty and a test of faith in God.”Our exam was postponed three times due to the pandemic and Typhoon Odette. I had to take a leap of faith praying that I would not test positive for Covid and be able to take the exam,” he told SunStar Bacolod.The new lawyer added that, “It took a lot of sacrifice, hardwork and trust in God and myself. It was not easy but I thank the Lord for this victory and an opportunity to serve others.”The Supreme Court (SC) announced Tuesday, April 12, that over 72 percent of the 11,402 law graduates passed the tests.Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the 2020/2021 Bar exams chair, announced that the 72.28 percent is equivalent to 8,241 successful examinees.The Bar exams were held in February after a two-year postponement due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.Leonen said that of the 8,241 successful examinees, 761 are “exemplary passers” who scored 85-90 percent in the tests, while 14 takers were recognized for their excellent performance after they obtained higher than 90 percent grades.The bar council earlier recalibrated the grading system “to avoid unnecessary competition,” noting that “examinations are not competitions.”In lieu of the ranking, the SC shifted to a system of pass, exemplary pass and excellent pass.”As an important philosophical point, we have removed all references to fail, instead, we categorize those who did not make it as ‘did not finish’ or ‘did not pass’,” said Leonen.He said the exams were considered the “Biggest Bar Ever” based on the number of takers, given that the 2020 Bar examination was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”The Bar examinations for 2020 and 2021 cannot be compared with any past Bar examinations. These were conducted under challenging circumstances never before faced by any Bar examinee, let alone any Bar chairperson. This court creatively adjusted and conducted these qualifying examinations with very critical reforms,” he said.The top law schools that produced the most number of excellent passers are the University of the Philippines (UP) with four; Ateneo de Manila (ADMU) and University of San Carlos, both with two; and Arellano University, Ateneo de Davao University, Far Eastern University, San Beda University, University of Cebu, and the University of Cordilleras, all with one.The top five schools with the most exemplary passers were UP with 147 exemplary passers, ADMU with 100, San Beda University with 94, University of San Carlos with 57, and Arellano University with 39.The SC said the successful examinees will take their oath on May 2, 2022. (With reports from SunStar Philippines)