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Friday, April 29, 2005
D Bar Exams
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CALL me bias but there is no doubt that the Bar Exams is the most prestigious and craziest exam in the land. It is the only exam given by no less than the Supreme Court of the Republic and not just the Professional Regulatory Commission (No pun intended!).
It's the most celebrated exam ever! Lots of funfair with different universities, fraternities, sororities and other organizations bringing or even hiring loud bands to cheer their examinees. They even have streamers! The most extensive and expensive even! The longest exam in the country that might just as well be scheduled for an entire month instead of just four crazy Sundays.
And when that fourth exam is over, an examinee usually jumps off to get roaring drunk but later woke up to a life under what many could only call "suspended reality." Everything seems to be afloat. Almost all major decisions are put on hold. Some even categorized them into Plan A for Passing or Plan B for Disappearing (Nyah!).
Waiting for the bar results alone could kill mere mortals. And when the results are out, successful examinees had a hard time believing that they've made it even right to the time they actually signed their names in the Roll of Attorneys!
It was thus, a big-time honor for me to have seven 2004 successful bar examinees from Xavier University College of Law (XU-Law) talk to me about this zany exam, their trials and their inspirations.
My first joint interview was with incoming lawyers Giovanni "Vanni" Catli and Samuel "SamRolz" Rollo. Both are working at separate regional trial courts while enrolled in a law review center here in Cagayan de Oro City.
Vanni admitted to being just like me--a barbarian, the label they tag at law students without any organization. SamRolz, however, is a member of the Tandu Fraternitas.
I was then with four Scintilla Legis bar passers Alfred "Fred" Lord Tennyson Gaccion, Adonis Arc "McDonz" Gumahad and Lino Juan "Tantoy" Roa. They did their review in Manila and were full time law students during their stint at XU-Law.
It was also a privilege to be able to talk to incoming lawyers Marlowe "Marlo" Selecios and Rio Balaba. Both are members of Epsilon Beta Kappa Society (EBK) and went to the University of the Philippines Diliman to take their six-month law review.
All seven bar passers went through hell when it came to preparing for the bar exams. These successful bar examinees would spend an average of eight to eleven hours reading hundreds of pages of books, Supreme Court decisions and other materials devoid of any pictures and illustrations.
Most of the reading stuff they have to take in are even very abstract and requires a lot of second, third and nth readings just to digest. Some basic provisions of the law need to be memorized for as one teacher put it: "When the law is clear, you memorized!"
But these guys all agree that review centers don't matter much but that it's the inner determination to become part of the prestigious legal profession. They also were one in saying that families, friends and organizations can do a lot not only to keep them on their toes but also to be there for them all throughout the way.
Vanni recalled how he came more of an owner of Sunburst Fried Chicken at Limketkai than its real owners! He would go to the far end table with some earplugs to do some self-review.
He even said, "Halos ako na gud ang mangabli ug ako pud ang manirado!" Vanni said he also got a lot of support from his father Judge Noli Catli who was around especially in the last part of his review. He said, "Dako kaayo iyang tabang kay naa siya mag-review ko ug bisan akong gibasa political law mangutana siya ug Tax!"
SamRolz meanwhile spent most of his time at XU-Law library then would transfer to either McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts at Divisoria until 10:00 in the evening. He too got a lot of support from his Tandu bros and elders. SamRolz also took the bar exams with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) top man and Tandu bro Enrique Malicay whom unfortunately I failed to interview.
For the Scintilla brothers, they decided on doing their review with Ateneo de Manila particularly as they believe it was what suited their nature. It meant leaving behind their families, friends and, for Fred, his lovely girlfriend (s? Hehehe).
These Scintilla bros subscribe to the idea that there are five aspects that one has to prepare for the bar: psychological, emotional, sexual, mental and financial.
Tantoy said there is also the spiritual aspect to consider but that this is more of a "pillar" than an obstacle to overcome. McDonz said it was the psychological aspect (really? I thought se_ual?) that was hardest for him to overcome.
The three bros said their Scintilla fraternity also gave them a lot of support pursuant to their preamble that is "to ease the burden derivative from the intricate and arduous study of the law and to help a brother in need."
For Marlo and Rio, the right environment for the review was necessary. Marlo nevertheless admitted that going to UP-Diliman for a law review was just a "security blanket."
He confessed how he did not spend so much time listening to the review instructors there but more on the readings. But when he really got down to read the first bar exam question, Rio said it was what the teachers taught in the classrooms that were mostly the ones more useful and easy to remember.
Both Marlo and Rio agree that the EBK support group, ideals and prayers helped them a lot in their pursuit to becoming lawyers. Marlo even said, "Ang prayer warriors sa EBK dako gyud kaayo ug tabang." (To be continued)
(April 29, 2005 issue)
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