MINDANAO once again proved its growing influence in the country’s legal education landscape after one of its law schools produced one of the topnotchers in the recently released 2025 Bar Examinations.
Gerilin Ano-os Gascon, a graduate of the Bukidnon State University (BukSU) College of Law in Malaybalay City, secured a spot among the country’s top-ranked examinees after placing 14th nationwide with an 89.79 percent rating. BukSU officials confirmed Gascon’s achievement following the release of the official results by the Supreme Court.
A member of BukSU College of Law Batch 2025, Gascon brings a multidisciplinary background to the legal profession, as she is also a certified public accountant. She is currently working at the Bukidnon Lending Center of the Land Bank of the Philippines in Malaybalay City, a role that underscores her experience in both finance and law even before formally entering legal practice.
“Since her law student days, we have always identified Gascon as particularly excellent and diligent in her studies despite her being a full-time mother and full-time government employee,” according to BukSU College of Law faculty member Micah Stefan Dagaerag as published in their university newsletter.
Her accomplishment adds to a wave of positive results for Mindanao-based law schools in the 2025 Bar examinations.
Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) College of Law also recorded an outstanding performance, ranking first among law schools with 51 to 100 examinees. AdDU produced 82 new lawyers this year, posting a 100 percent passing rate for its candidates and placing its examinees among those who successfully hurdled the highly competitive exams.
AdDU officials credited the achievement to the collective efforts of the administration, faculty, and students, noting that the results reflect years of academic rigor, mentoring, and commitment to excellence in legal education.
“We would like to congratulate Atty. Manuel P. Quibod, Dean of the College of Law, faculty, and staff for this excellent achievement,” the university said.
Nationwide, a total of 5,594 examinees passed the 2025 Bar examinations out of 11,420 who completed the three-day tests, translating to a passing rate of nearly 49 percent. The Supreme Court described the latest bar as rigorous yet fair, as it continued reforms aimed at improving accessibility and efficiency in the conduct of the examinations.
The 2025 Bar exams were administered simultaneously in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao across 14 testing centers nationwide on September 7, 10, and 14, 2025. Examinees came from diverse backgrounds, including senior citizens, pregnant examinees, and individuals with medical conditions and disabilities, reflecting the judiciary’s inclusive approach in administering the exams.
In terms of historical context, the 2025 Bar examinations ranked third in terms of the number of passers. The highest passing rate was recorded during the 2020–2021 Bar exams at 72 percent, followed by the 2016 Bar exams with a 59 percent passing rate.
Successful examinees are set to formally join the legal profession during the oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys scheduled on February 6, marking the culmination of years of study and preparation. DEF