University of St. La Salle graduate tops 2017 bar exam

MANILA, Philippines — A University of St. La Salle-Bacolod graduate has topped the grueling 2017 bar exams.

Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, chair of last year’s bar exam, announced on Thursday afternoon that Mark John Simondo has obtained the highest score of 91.05%.

The last time that a bar topnotcher breached the 90% passing rate was in 2002, when University of Santo Tomas graduate Arlene Maneja scored 92.90%.

Out of the 6,748 law graduates who finished the bar exams, 1,724 passed. The 2017 Bar Exams posted a passing rate of 25.5%—a significant drop compared to the 2016 passing rate of 59.06%, which was one of the highest recorded in recent history.

Here are the top 10 of the 2017 bar exams:

1. Mark John Simondo, University of St. La Salle, 91.05%
2. Christianne Mae Balili, University of San Carlos, 90.8%
3. Camille Remoroza, Ateneo de Davao University, 90.7%
4. IvanneD'laureil Hisoler, University of San Carlos, 89.55%
5. Monica Anne Yap, San Beda College-Manila, 89.45%
6. Lorenzo Luigi Gayya, University of Santo Tomas, 89.1%
7. Rheland Servacio, University of San Carlos, 89%
8. Krizza Fe Alcantara-Bagni, St. Mary's University, 88.9% and AlgieKwillon Mariacos, San Beda College-Manila, 88.9%
9. Klinton Torralba, University of Santo Tomas, 88.65%
10. Emma Ruby Aguilar, University of Santo Tomas, 88.4%

In the 2016 Bar Exam, law graduates from Visayas and Mindanao dominated the top 10 list.

Karen Mae Calam, a University of San Carlos graduate, bested 2016 bar takers. Calam received a rate of 89.05%.