My Thoughts on the Results of the Philippine Bar Exam 2009

The results for the 2009 Philippine Bar Exam was released last March 26, 2010. At that night, I was really excited and anxious to see the results even though I did not take part of it. I do not know why? Maybe because I want my law school (FEU-Institute of Law) to be among the top notchers or maybe I want to see a fellow Muslim as a top notcher in the case of Mylene Amerol-Macumbal back in 2008. The Supreme Court website was really busy that it would take a lifetime to access it. At about 9PM, the Supreme Court provided the link for the bar passers but not for the bar top notchers. A few minutes later, news websites started posting the the top 10 bar top notchers and what I noticed first is not that the top notcher is from San Beda, it is that 7 out of the 11 top notchers are all from Ateneo de Manila Law School. Wow! Talk about total domination!

Yes, I have to admit that I am disappointed by the results of the bar top notchers (not the bar passers, congrats to all of you!) because there is not even a single small or underdog law school that is included. Last year the bar top notcher Judy Lardizabal comes from San Sebastian College. I just hope that in the upcoming bar examinations, underdog law schools may able to top the bar exams and it should not revolve only around Ateneo, San Beda or UP because if that  trend goes on we may see some sort of a monopoly happening regarding law schools. The CHED are now closing down non-performing law schools so that is why I predict that happening. 

Another as I have mentioned above is that there is no fellow Muslim included among the top notchers unlike last year or back in 2006 when Al-shwaid L. Ismael was ranked top 8th. This is a big deal for me because as Mylene Amerol-Macumbal summed it up "There is still discrimination in this country against Muslims and Muslim women due largely to misconceptions, I hope to help erase those misconceptions”. In a country where we are a minority, I felt the need for me and my fellow Muslims to step up and do something to erase those misconceptions. In addition to that, look at our politics, sports, business industry, show biz industry or any other aspects, and let me ask you if there are any well known Filipino Muslim figure in those? Maybe you can mention to me one or two and that is it. This is one of the primary reason why I took up law school and I hope to follow in the footsteps of Ms. Amerol-Macumbal and Mr. Ismael.

Here's the list of the top 10 bar top notchers of the  2009 Philippine Bar Exams:

1] YEBRA, REINIER, 84.800, San Beda
2] TAPIC, CHARLENE MAY, 84.600, San Beda
3] LIM, JOHN PAUL , 84.500, Ateneo Law
4] LAGOS, CAROLINE, 84.400, UP Law
5] TAN, ERIC DAVID, 84.050, Ateneo Law
6] GONZALEZ, YVI RANDOLF, 83.900, Ateneo Law
7] TO, JOAN MAE, 83.650, Ateneo Law
8] BAGRO, HERMINIO III, 83.400, UP LAw
9] LUMAUIG, TIMOTHY JOSEPH, 83.200, Ateneo Law
10] BAINTO, NAELLA ROSE, 83.100, Ateneo Law
10] GO, SHIELA ABIGAIL, 83.100, Ateneo Law

Shed the Weight

It's summer time again, and I looked at myself in the full body mirror and I realized that I gained an excessive amount of weight. "Oh no!" I said to myself , "Here we go again, my body weight is fluctuating from being overweight to average". I admit that I have never exercised since the school semester started last November because I  could not just find time.  I did not even play basketball since 2008. Wow! In addition, in law school, you need to EAT really well in order for your brain to function properly. You can not come into the classroom experiencing some sort of headache or hunger because when it's your turn to recite, the professor will bombard  you with questions that requires logic and analyzation which means you need to your BRAIN to function well. (Although, I do credit energy drinks sometimes in keeping me alert. Hhhmmmm.. How many did I consumed last semester?) I think those contributed to my weight gain and it is time to Shed the Weight. Perhaps go to the gym, should I say.

The last time I stepped into a gym was about a couple of years ago. The gym is called the ECLIPSE and what I like about it is that it is open 24 hours a day. I remember one time when I finished my work in the office at about 11 o'clock in the evening and I went straight to the gym! I finished at about quarter to 1 o'clock in the morning and would you believe that I have to go to work at 9 A.M. later? Talk about being passionate. This summer, I am planning to go back to the gym, perhaps I will go back to ECLIPSE or others like FITNESS FIRST, GOLD's GYM, etc. I just need to Shed the Weight before the school year starts again. Who knows that if I do not start taking care of my body and health, then after another 3 years of law school, I may end up becoming a sumo wrestler. Nah! The picture below with my former office mate was taken during my gym days.

   Marvin and Madz