On April 14th, the Philippine Supreme Court released the results of the 2022 Bar Exam. The Bar Exam is a notoriously difficult exam taken by individuals seeking to become lawyers, and this year 3,992 out of 9,183 examinees passed, including Earvin James Atienza, who passed on his second attempt. During his first attempt, Atienza was unable to concentrate, as his father was diagnosed with cancer. Both of Atienza’s parents passed away during his journey to pass the Bar, but he found motivation to try again from a friend’s letter. Atienza believes that in the Bar, “we are our own rivals,” so it is important to believe in oneself. He plans to continue his advocacy on human rights, and continue volunteering at the Ateneo Human Rights Center.
Another individual who passed the Bar is Kristen Balan, who is a registered nurse and became the first lawyer in her family. Balan had so much faith that she would pass the Bar that she wrote the prefix “Atty.” before her name on the back of her cell phone, even before the results were out. Manifesting works, she said. Jayson Francisco, a licensed electrical engineer, also passed the Bar. He believes his advocacy for “fairness” encouraged him to pursue law.
Examinees and their loved ones gathered outside of the Supreme Court on April 14th to learn the results. Although the Supreme Court said it would post the results online, many people still chose to come to the court, where a screen had been set up to show the names of the passers. This event was seen as a tradition in the journey of new lawyers.
