DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A group of pro bono lawyers congratulate those who passed the 2018 Bar exams, saying it is “both a culmination and a crossroads” for the future lawyers.
“You have a choice to define yourself,” the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) said in a statement on Friday, May 3, as the Supreme Court announced the results of the 2018 Bar Examinations.
The group has thrown a challenge to those who will soon take oath as new lawyers of the country.
“You can be part of the forces that frustrate, undermine, or delay justice even if they mouth elegant rhetorics and pay lip service to lofty ideals. Or you can just coast along, comforted by your individual priorities and be left with your own devices. Or you can be relevant by choosing to journey off the beaten path by serving the poor, powerless and the persecuted,” NUPL said.
NUPL also challenged them: Prove to be models of principles and have a passion for justice. Or you can regale in being embarrassments to the profession with all the perks of power.
“Being a lawyer is not a goal in itself, it can be a means to a higher purpose of making things right by doing things right. We hope you will make sense of this privilege and find meaning amidst all the euphoria and expectations,” NUPL added.
Last year’s Bar examinations only had 22.07% passing rate, equivalent to 1,800 out of the 8,155 examinees. But it recorded the highest number of law graduates who took the Bar exams in years.
Ateneo de Manila University’s Sean James Borja topped the Bar exams with a score of 89.31%. (davaotoday.com)
