Chief Justice Gesmundo, Senior Justice Bernabe head FLP boards of judges

MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo heads the board of judges of the Legal Scholarship Program of the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity while Senior Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe chairs the board of judges of the FLP dissertation writing contest.

For the scholarship program, 21 law students were awarded P200,000 each, divided into P100,000 for tuition, P20,000 for books and P80,000 for monthly stipends.

The scholars were selected based on their academic merit and their ability to espouse and promote the FLP’s philosophy of liberty and prosperity under the rule of law.

Ten of the 21 are third year law students Allan Crisostomo (Far Eastern University), Cecilia Joahna Laza (St. Louis University), Anton Gabriel Leron (University of the Philippines), Mary Therese Maurin (University of Cebu), Louis-Mari Opina (University of Santo Tomas), Daverick Angelito Pacumio (UST), Ma. Paula Ramos (University of Cordilleras), Robert Jhon Salazar (FEU), Erielle Sibayan (U of Cordilleras) and Shalimar Hillary Taongan (De La Salle University-Manila).

Eleven are fourth year law students William Christian dela Cruz (Father Saturnino Urios University), Ricka Abigael Dumelod (UST), Florida Fomaneg (UP), Rowell Nico Macalino (Ateneo de Manila University), Joy Francine Mappang (U of Cordilleras), Geremae Mata (USC), Carlo Angelo Negado (University of San Carlos), Laurence Obaob (USC), Jani Omamalin (USC), George Mariano Soriano (UP) and Mark Stephen Sy (Ateneo).

The other members of the scholarship board of judges are Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Tan Yan Kee Foundation (TYKF) vice chairman Harry Tan, former education secretary Edilberto de Jesus and lawyer Joel Gregorio.

The Legal Scholarship Program is sponsored by FLP in partnership with TYKF. It is open to all third and fourth year students of law schools that have obtained a percentage of passing above the overall average percentage of passing in Bar exams based on the statistical data from the Office of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court.

To qualify, the grantees must be (1) incumbent third or fourth year students in one of the eligible law schools, (2) among the top 20 of the batch in their respective schools, (3) have a cumulative average not lower than 85 percent or 2.25 for the immediately preceding school year, (4) no dropped subject and no grade lower than 75 percent or 3.0 and (5) have enrolled and completed the full load for each school year.

They must also submit an essay on the FLP’s philosophy of liberty and prosperity under the rule of law and how he or she will apply the philosophy in his or her legal career.

On the other hand, the winners of the dissertation writing contest are Lord Jay-em Cuntapay (Ateneo), who won first prize of P320,000 cash; Eunice Baliong (USC) second prize of P220,000. Three third placers, each winning P120,000, were Christianne Noelle de Vera (DLSU), Trisha Aliya Dulanas (USC) and Catherine Joy Lim (Ateneo). The winning papers can be accessed at www.libpros.com.

The five winners bested seven other finalists, who will each be awarded P20,000. They are Sheila Marie Cabazares (Rizal Memorial Colleges), Jyrus Cimatu (UST), William Christian dela Cruz (Father Saturnino Urios U), Chelsea Ysabel Go (FEU), Kenneth Limosnero (DLSU), Fidel Rico Nini (UP) and Ericka Therese Uyguangco (Ateneo).

The faculty advisers of the winners will receive cash prizes: P100,000 for the first placer (lawyer Evecar Cruz Ferrer), P75,000 for the second placer (lawyer Rashid Pandi) and P50,000 for the three third placers (Rebecca Khan, Pandi and lawyer Ferdinand Negre).

The other members of the dissertation writing contest board of judges are De Jesus, Gregorio, Ayala Corp. general counsel Solomon Hermosura and dean Anna Maria Abad.

The dissertation writing contest is sponsored by the FLP in partnership with Ayala Corp. The contest is open to third year and fourth year law students and those taking master and doctor of laws, as well as PhD candidates.

The FLP was founded in 2011 to perpetuate the core judicial philosophy of retired chief Justice Artemio Panganiban – that jurists and lawyers should safeguard liberty and nurture prosperity under the rule of law. For more information, please visit www.libpros.com.

Its board of trustees is composed of CJ Panganiban (chairman), De Jesus, Gregorio, retired justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Amando Tetangco Jr., professor Elenita Panganiban, Maria Elena Yaptangco and lawyer Tanya Lat (members).

The TYKF is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies. It approaches corporate social responsibility from a holistic commitment framework targeting education; culture and sports; health and social welfare including environmental concerns; research and manpower development. For details, please visit www.tanyankee.org.

Ayala is the country’s long-standing partner in the pursuit of progress and nation building, developing businesses that transform industries, challenging the status quo and bringing innovations in the Philippines and abroad that contribute to the nation’s social and economic agenda. For details, please visit www.ayala.com.ph.