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BY PRINCE GOLEZ, Manila Reporter
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Thursday, May 4, 2017
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MANILA – Two Ilonggos landed in the 2016 Philippine Bar examination’s top 10.
Allana Mae Babayen-on of the University of San Agustin (USA) College of Law in Iloilo City garnered a rating of 88.75 percent to place No. 4 while Justin Ryan Morilla from Ateneo de Davao University (88.40) was No. 5.
Babayen-on was from Banate, Iloilo. Morilla’s father, on the other hand, was from Janiuay town.
Babayen-on told Panay News she was “extremely grateful” for the results announced around 11:30 a.m. yesterday at the Supreme Court quadrangle by the chairman of the 2016 Bar exams, Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.
A total of 3,747 examinees passed the Bar exams.
Babayen-on took pride graduating from a provincial law school.
“Wala gid secret. You just have to study. (But) I think you have to find your study buddy because when I was in law school I had a group of friends with me. When I reviewed in Manila, I was with my best friend. It really helped a lot,” Babayen-on shared when asked about her preparations for the exams.
Atty. Jose Mari Benjamin Francisco Tirol, dean of the USA College of Law, said Babayen-on as a Law student had dedication and drive to succeed.
Atty. Christina Layusa of the Office of the Bar Confidant said this was the first time in the history of Bar exams that not a single Metro Manila-based school placed in the top 10.
In previous years, premier universities and colleges such as the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and San Beda College dominated the top 10.
Karen Mae Calam from the University of San Carlos in Cebu topped the 2016 Bar exams (89.05).
In college, the 28-year-old Babayen-on graduated magna cum laude. She took her undergraduate degree in Political Science from West Visayas State University in La Paz, Iloilo City.
Morilla, on the other hand, took his pre-Law degree on Political Science from the University of the Philippines Visayas in Miag-ao, Iloilo.
Babayen-on is currently working at the Provincial Legal Office of the Iloilo provincial capitol.
“Not yet sure so far about my next plan. May oath-taking pa. Makadto pa sa Manila with my family. Right now, I have work sa capitol. I think preserve lang anay ang status quo until I would have an idea of what’s my next move.”
Babayen-on said the support from her family and law school kept her motivated.
“I wanted to prove that I was deserving of all that confidence,” she said.
Others in the Top 10 were:
* Alanna Gayle Khio from Silliman University in Dumaguete City (88.95)
* Fiona Cristy Lao from the University of San Carlos (88.80)
* Athalia Liong from Andres Bonifacio College (88.80)
* Mark Dave Camarao from Northwestern University (88.10)
* Anne Margaret Momongan from the University of San Carlos (87.80)
* Jefferson Gomez from the University San Carlos (87.70)
* Nia Rachelle Gonzales from the University of Batangas (87.50)
* Marie Chielo Ybio from Silliman University (87.50), and
* Andrew Stephen Liu from Silliman University (87.45).
The new lawyers are expected to take their oath on May 22, 3 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.
They may also secure their clearances from the Office of the Bar Confidant starting May 8 until May 21.
Under Rule 138, Section 9 of the Rules of Court, eight subjects are covered in Bar exams. They are Political Law and Public International Law (15 percent), Labor and Social Legislation (10 percent), Civil Law (15 percent), Taxation (10 percent), Mercantile Law (15 percent), Criminal Law (10 percent), Remedial Law (20 percent), and Legal and Judicial Ethics (five percent)./PN
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