THE Supreme Court on Monday administered the oath-taking of 3,747 new lawyers who hurdled the 2016 Bar exams.
The new lawyers were joined by their families at a special session of the Supreme Court for the oath-taking ceremony at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Addressing the new lawyers, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno cited the significance of the 2016 Bar results where all top 10 came from provincial law schools.
It was the first time that no graduate from a law school in Metro Manila placed in the top 10.
Sereno said this was an indication of the dispersal of quality education throughout the country as she urged the new lawyers to practice law in their own provinces and hometowns.
Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco Jr., who served as the chairman of last year’s Bar exams, agreed.
“We definitely need lawyers in the provinces and in providing legal aid services to the poor and marginalized,” he said.
Sereno also reminded the new lawyers to be true to their oath and always uphold the rule of law.
“Preserve and defend the rule of law. Arm yourselves with idealism, passion and knowledge of the law,” the Chief Justice told the new lawyers, whom she described as the “lifeblood of the legal profession.”
“Do not waver, uphold the truth and dispense justice. Know that inequality and poverty exist. Serve the people,” Associate Justice Marvic Leonen posted in his Twitter account.
Velasco pointed out that this batch represents one of the highest passing rates in the history of the Bar exams or 59.06 percent of the total of 6,344 takers who completed the exams in November last year.
It was the second highest passing rate in the history of Bar exams since 1954 when the passing rate was 75.17 percent.
“The exam was fair and reasonable. Many actually thought it was difficult,” he said.
Karen Mae Calam of the University of San Carlos Law School in Cebu City topped the 2016 Bar exams with an average of 89.05 percent.
In an interview with reporters before the ceremony, she said her achievement comes with a big pressure for her to do well in law practice.
“When a very big blessing comes your way, there is always a responsibility. In every action that I’m doing, many people will be observing. But that’s okay as long as within yourself, you’re confident of what you’re doing,” she said.
The new lawyers will sign the Roll of Attorneys in the Supreme Court to officially become lawyers and will each be assigned a Bar Roll Number that they will use in law practice.
