2 Cebu topnotchers back regionalization of Bar

CEBU, Philippines - Both Cebu graduates who landed on the top 10 in the 2015 Bar examinations are in favor of regionalizing the annual licensure examinations for lawyers.

Athena Plaza and Jecca Jacildo, who bagged the second and eight spots, respectively, said decentralizing the Bar exams would spell huge savings on the part of the examinees.

"It's very expensive for those outside Manila to take the bar. I have friends who went there and I know they spent a lot. More than financial drain, they are also separated from their families. It affects your mental and physical focus," she said.

Plaza said she preferred to take her review sessions in Cebu rather than in Manila.

She believes that students from provinces are at par with those in the capital city, especially if they perform well during the exams and away from any problem and hassle.

"I don't believe it's harder (for those takers from provin-ces to pass the Bar). I think it is our vision that limits us because we are labeled as provincial schools so we think that we need to go to Manila to have a good education and preparation for the Bar. I stayed here all throughout my review and relied on my foundation in my school. It just goes to show that graduates from so-called provincial schools can make," she said.

Plaza, a law graduate of the University of San Carlos, clinched the second spot in the Bar exams with 87.25 percent average, close to the 87.40-percent rating bagged by University of the Philippines' Rachel Angeli Miranda, who landed in first place.

In a separate interview, Jacildo also expressed support for the Bar regionalization.

She shared with The FREEMAN that taking the Bar exams, as well as the review, is quite expensive. She said a Bar taker, especially those taking review in Manila, has to spend over P100,000, including board and lodging and allowance.

Jacildo took her review in Manila.

Plaza and Jacildo were among the 1,731 aspiring lawyers who successfully hurdled the so-called "toughest" exam of the country. Only 26.21 percent of the 6,605 Bar exam takers passed the exam, which has a remained unadjusted passing rate of 75 percent.

Efforts to push for the Bar regionalization are ongoing.

The 2016 Bar Examinations Committee earlier agreed to the proposal to administer the annual licensure exams for admission to the Philippine Bar in Cebu City this year.

 But this will only happen if at least 1,000 law graduates prefer to take the bar exams this November here in the province.

 A survey is being conducted among law schools in Cebu to attain the required number. As of press time, no result of the survey has been released yet.  —  (FREEMAN)