LAWYERS uphold justice, while the military defends the people and the nation.
Denise Christine Caminero Lim, a 31-year-old lawyer and professor from Mati City, Davao Oriental, embraced both roles by completing her basic military reservist training — an extraordinary accomplishment.
With intelligence, bravery, and patriotism, Lim, a certified public accountant-lawyer, graduated from the University of Mindanao (UM), Main, and pursued law school at her alma mater.
After graduating with a degree in Accountancy from UM, Lim worked as a government accountant before pursuing law at the same institution.
Her motivation stems from a thirst for knowledge and a desire to help others.
In 2020, she became one of the 8,241 passers and one of 761 who showed exemplary performance in the Philippine Bar Examination.
“I believe it is the insatiable thirst for knowledge and the desire to help others that motivated me to enter law school. I, originally, did not plan to pursue law school in 2016. I just went to UM to get the requirements for employment when it crossed my mind to drop by the law dean’s office to ask for the requirements for law school. I wanted to learn something new. I thought that the knowledge I would gain in law school would not just be for my personal use but to help others as well,” she said.
Currently affiliated with a government agency, she teaches Taxation and Corporation Law at UM College of Law.
Driven by her passion for the country, Lim completed the six-month Basic Citizenship Military Course (BCMC) of the Naval Reserve Command of the Philippine Navy, officially becoming a reservist in October 2023.
As a Chief Petty Officer, she uses her legal knowledge to attend to the legal needs of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) members.
Lim said, “We, lawyers, were recruited to join the Reserve Force to attend to the legal needs of our fellow members of the AFP. Seeing how much the Regular Force had contributed to the peace and order of our country, I realized that they deserve to be supported in any way. In my own way, using my legal knowledge, I hoped that I would be of use to the AFP in any legal way.”
Juggling her legal career, academic responsibilities, and naval training, Lim acknowledges the challenges but emphasizes the role of motivation in overcoming obstacles.
“The hardest part of the training is the last part, which tests everything that we’ve learned the entire training. It required both physical and mental preparation. We had somehow prepared for the physical aspect during the weekly exercises. What was most challenging even from the start was to stay motivated and to have a firm resolve to finish the training,” she added
She encourages the youth to consider becoming reservists, highlighting the physical and social aspects, along with the sense of fulfillment and contribution to the Citizen Armed Force.
Lim, an Associate Justice Marvic Leonen supporter, envisions the highly-developed Philippines through collective effort, responsible resource management, and adherence to constitutional orders.
In her dual role as a lawyer and Navy reservist, she exemplifies the shared purpose of serving and protecting the people and the nation. DEF